Theda Skocpol whom is the author of several books on the political history of the United States, focuses her piece Protecting Soldiers and Mothers on the social welfare and public policy after the civil war and into the Progressive era. In this book on social policy Skocpol focuses on the factors that have been overlooked by other political scientists in determining the beginning of social welfare. The basis of her argument is that social policy began with civil war pensions and expanded beyond this to the elderly, as well as expanding through the maternalist viewpoint instead of the paternalist system of our European counterparts. This expands into the greater notion that the United States focused their efforts on the elderly and women of society instead of the everyday working class, social reform in the nation was not a priority of the majority but rather a way to assist the minority in the beginning of its stages.…show more content… A few of the things that will be discussed in this analysis of her work is the argument and evidence used, the depth of the writing, the quality of evidence over her conjecture in the piece, the areas in economics and race that the piece lacks to acknowledge, as well as the success of her book in accurately explaining her thesis. While Skocpol’s work provides new insight into the topic of discussion and the nation’s social policy another factor to keep in mind is her constant contrast of the difference in structure from the United States to its European counterparts. In this review of Protecting Soldiers and Mothers it will describe both the downfalls of the piece as well as the accomplishments, leading to the final conclusion of the impact of the
