Welfare and The Spear of Neo-colonialism

The systems of oppression have a way of evolving in society. One in particular is welfare which was discussed in Sandra Golden's essay, "Black and on Welfare:What You Don't Know About Single-Parent Women". She described her experience as a public assistance recipient and being met with discriminatory attitudes from the welfare office caseworkers. Golden not only painted a clear picture of the dehumanizing stigmas that was attached to her good name but she concluded she felt welfare barely helped her become self-sufficient. Golden mentioned, "It seemed the assumption was that welfare recipients were unmotivated, unskilled,[and]uneducated"(28). When she interviewed other welfare recipients, she discovered they felt the same way. Personally, welfare is a form of oppression to keep minorities serving the dominant group and suppress liberated ideas.
There were similarities between welfare and colonialism. The colonizers forced the natives to work by implementing taxes and force. In Aime Cesaire's book "Discourse on Colonialism", he mentioned that,"colonization equals thingification"(43). The colonizers made the natives become soldiers,workers,and servants. Almost completely erasing the native's language and culture, the colonizers made their mark in foreign continents like Africa even after they were gone. On the same token, dehumanizing people especially black women was what the welfare system applied. Since the welfare recipients, particularly black women were a little educated they could not help but co-operate with insensitive caseworkers. As a result, very few women have "participated in job placement programs"(Golden 31). Either the caseworkers ignore the needs of the recipients or the women are not literate enough to have a well paid job. One thing welfare and colonialism does is set up control. The government and caseworkers have control over the financial situation of the recipient. These women are not introduced to anything else, so they have to dependent on the government. Colonialism gives the colonizer the power. When one is dependent on someone else, one is not in control of one's life. Both systems of oppression embodied that concept.
Moreover, Golden has a liberated mind. In order to have a liberated mind, one must become aware of their oppressive surroundings and realize there is a better way to live. She described how the welfare system is and what it is to be a black women in the system. The natives had things tough under colonialism however most of them were liberated. Colonialism and welfare are one in the same. Welfare is the new form of control.
Shaniqua Smiley