5 economics factors - Essay Example

Different economic factors in the US contribute to or minimize the gender gap in state economy. In 1935, the government policy, Aids to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), was implemented and its main target was the single mothers and the low-income families. The conditions for qualification of this aid were that, the identified families had to be poor, except the single mothers who were all considered. This policy involved aid to such families. The aid came in the form of financial assistance, provision of free medical care, food donations, and subsidies on housing.

This policy however raised a number of controversies. It was thought to result in an increased dependency of the poor in society. This would also discourage the poor from looking for employment and means of self-dependence. Finally, this would discourage people from getting marriage and thus increasing the number of single mothers. This was proved ineffective in ensuring a poverty-free society. Nonetheless, this policy was beneficial to women during its short operational period. In 1996, another policy of poverty eradication was implemented as a replacement of the AFDC.

This was the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). This policy was funded by different states, unlike the AFDC, which was wholly funded by the federal government. In 2008, this policy was amended and required all single mothers to work a minimum of thirty hours in a week. The main argument for this proposition was that, most mothers in dual –income families went to work, therefore, the single mothers too were expected to work. In addition, unlike the AFDC, this policy had a time limit of five years.

Since this program was temporal, it aimed at equipping the low-income families with enough resources to help them solve their financial problems and establish themselves financially in the