VIDEO: How Social Security Came To Be

Many people think of Social Security as America’s retirement program, but it didn’t start out that way. Social Security actually began as a social safety net following the Great Depression as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal. It’s certainly changed a lot over time.

This short video from The History Channel does a great job of clearly and concisely explaining how Social Security as we now know it came to be. It goes over the amendments and changes made over the years and concludes with the current growing debate over the future viability of Social Security.

Preserving the long-term solvency of Social Security is one of the main goals of The Seniors Trust. This grassroots program of The Citizen’s Assembly is focused on passing the Social Security Expansion Act. Our mission is to increase monthly benefits, implement a fair Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), and legally guarantee the current and future benefits of all Social Security recipients.