Three Cheers for the Unemployed

The book explores the evolution of unemployment reform from the post-Civil War era to the New Deal, highlighting how industrialization shifted the perception of joblessness from personal failure to a societal issue. It details the inadequacy of traditional remedies and the development of new reform measures leading up to World War I. The narrative emphasizes the refinement of these instruments during the 1920s and their initial application during the Great Depression, arguing against social control theories and focusing on the progressive motivations behind the reformers' efforts.