Protecting Soldiers and Mothers: The Political Origins of Social Policy in the United States

Skocpol covered the decline of the Civil War Pension system during the late 19th century, and the rise of pensions for mothers and widows in the 1910-20s. It’s a fascinating look at a very different political climate, with patronage rather than programmaticly oriented political parties, and a very weak and amateur Federal government. This book has a strong theoretical explanation of how women excluded from the vote managed to exercise political power through moral education and a unique conception of the public role of Motherhood. This book is also mind-numbingly dense and detail oriented, and covers policies which left no standing institutional legacy, so while a classic in feminist history, not something I can really recommend to the layperson.