W.F. PRICE: The Myth of the Empowered Working Class Single Mother.

Back in the bad old days, women had two realistic choices when they got pregnant out of wedlock: marriage or adoption. The alternative – becoming a “single mom” – was not generally supported by parents, and for good reason — they usually ended up paying for it. But there has been a new development since then: a huge, comprehensive welfare state. Instead of having to buy groceries for the child grandma can now be added to WIC checks, use the EBT and sign up for a childcare voucher. Yes, states will actually pay grandmothers, if they take a couple remedial classes, to watch their daughters’ kids. With a little planning, mother, daughter and grandmother can all get a piece of the pie. Carl, for his part, is eligible for nothing, although as non-custodial father he may well be forced to reimburse the state for paying his child’s grandmother…

This puts the women’s willingness to eject Carl from the situation in some perspective. Why share with him if they don’t have to and on top of that he can be forced to pay them? Lily has zero financial incentive to create a traditional family, and her mother – a so-called Christian – has an incentive to discourage her from doing so. It all sounds very trashy, and unfortunately it is, but before we lay all the blame on Lily and her mother, we must remember that highly-educated people from “good families” came up with the legislation that created these incentives.