Which act established the semi-welfare state in the United States during the New Deal era?

• A. Wagner Act
• B. National Industrial Recovery Act
• C. Farm Security Act
• D. Social Security Act

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing how government responsibility for citizens’ economic security expanded during the New Deal. The Social Security Act of 1935 created a nationwide framework of social insurance and welfare programs, including old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to dependents and the disabled. This established a lasting role for the federal government in providing a safety net, which is why it’s often described as laying the groundwork for a semi-welfare state in the United States.

The other measures were important for the era but served different purposes. The Wagner Act protected workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, which strengthened labor, not a broad social safety net. The National Industrial Recovery Act aimed to revive industry and set codes of fair competition, but it was later struck down and didn’t create enduring welfare programs. The Farm Security Administration focused on rural poverty, addressing a specific problem rather than building nationwide social insurance.