Justice, Work, Poverty and Welfare

This article examines the structure of beliefs that yield attitudes toward government aid to the poor. Findings from a study conducted in New Zealand show that beliefs in a just world and the Protestant work ethic create tendencies to attribute poverty to the deficiencies of the poor and not society, which yield negative attitudes toward government assistance. It is argued that the prevalence and promotion of such beliefs and attribution tendencies in society increase the degree to which cuts to social welfare programs receive public support.