Family, Welfare, and the State

This insightful work examines the dual nature of the welfare state and its impact on women's roles and class autonomy, as explored in Family, Welfare, and the State.

The text explores whether the New Deal and the welfare state acted as protectors of the working class or undermined its ability to sustain itself. The critique of welfare systems is framed as an assault on class autonomy, perpetuating patriarchal and racial hierarchies while fostering divisions that hinder collective resistance against exploitation by capital and state control.

In Family, Welfare, and the State, Mariarosa Dalla Costa emphasizes that understanding the welfare system requires examining the dynamics of struggle and resistance, particularly from women's perspectives. The author highlights how women have historically been at the forefront of these struggles, shaping the discourse around welfare and its implications for social reproduction.

Reflecting on the New Deal's legacy, Dalla Costa questions whether it was a boon for the working class or a force that eroded its self-sustaining capacities. The book provides a nuanced analysis of the welfare system, considering women's roles both in the workforce and at home during the Great Depression. Revisiting these origins is crucial for understanding current sociopolitical dynamics, particularly regarding race, class, and gender relations, and for envisioning pathways toward greater class autonomy.