A New Deal for America: How Did Social Security Redefine Government's Role​​​​​​​

The Social Security Act of 1935 was a major milestone in American history that transformed the government’s role in protecting its citizens from economic hardship. Created during Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal as a reaction to the Great Depression, the Act introduced a system of federal support that provides relief to the elderly, unemployed, and disabled. This bold reform replaces decades of limited, hands-off government policies with a new promise of shared responsibility between the state and the people. The program's success inspired a major change in American society and government, redefining what citizens could expect from their nation and continuing to shape debates about security, fairness, and reform today.