As a result of this, deeper compassion was felt for those who couldn"t get a job, mainly children and the elderly. One person who recognized the severity of the situation was the Revolutionary War hero Thomas Paine. In 1795 Thomas Paine called for the creation of a "public system of economic security for the new nation". Thomas Paine recognized the tragedy of being poor, especially in regards to the young and old. His plan called for a tax, with the income being paid out to both the young and old. His reasoning for this was to get young people some money to get their careers going, and also give older people money to sustain their life. Not everyone agreed with Thomas Paine and his vision was never fulfilled, at least during his lifetime.

             It wasn"t until 1862 that the Federal government established a form of economic security. It was at this time that the Civil War pensions program was set up. This provided soldier, who were wounded as a result of the war, with benefits so that they could sustain a normal life. This program also provided the widows and children of slain soldiers with money. These pensions were paid out at a huge cost to the Federal government. In 1894 nearly 37 percent of the Federal budget was spent on these pensions. The costs of this program was actually lower than should have been, with confederate soldiers not receiving any of the benefits. While America was moving towards a more equal society, it had yet to realize that programs such as the Civil War pensions program could be adapted to include the entire community. .

             Workers compensation was the next battle to be won in the struggle towards economic security. In 1908 the Federal government passed a law protecting Federal employees from injuries in hazardous jobs. Soon thereafter, many states adapted similar laws, and by 1929 workers compensation laws were in affect in every state. These laws held the employer responsible for living expenses if an employee was killed or injured while on the job.