What kinds of social safety nets existed in the U.S. before the 1980s that no longer exist today?

I keep hearing that the U.S. used to have a much stronger social safety net before the 1980s, and that a lot of it was dismantled during the Reagan era with the rise of neoliberalism. I’m curious to learn more about what specific programs, policies, or forms of support existed back then that have since been cut, privatized, or weakened. What are some concrete examples of social safety nets that were available before the 1980s that don’t exist (or barely exist) today?

Posted Jul 6, 2025, 9:10 PM UTC

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