Final answer:
Welfare recipients in U.S. society have traditionally been viewed negatively, often stereotyped as preferring government aid over work and influenced by racial biases in the media. Reforms like 'workfare' arose from taxpayer resentment towards perceived inefficiencies and dependency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Traditionally, welfare recipients in U.S. society have often been viewed with suspicion and negativity. A prevailing attitude enshrines the values of individual enterprise and responsibility, thus leading to a perception that those on welfare prefer to rely on government assistance rather than work.
This view is deeply entrenched in societal beliefs and is reinforced by media portrayal, which frequently depicts welfare recipients, particularly people of color, as dependents of state aid, despite the reality that welfare support cuts across all demographic groups.
Welfare reforms in the 1990s, such as the transition from 'welfare' to 'workfare', have imposed stricter conditions on assistance and have pushed for state-level management of these programs.
Despite reforms, stigmatization of welfare recipients remains, affected by racial framing and misconceptions. Images and stories in media often disproportionately represent African Americans as welfare users, which influences public opinion and policy.
As society debates over the role of government support, the question of social responsibility towards the economically disadvantaged is ever-present. Discussions on the efficacy and the ethical grounds of welfare continue, reflecting a broad spectrum of views on poverty, entitlement, and the role of state assistance in modern America.