What marked the first federal involvement in social welfare where a minimum standard of living became a right?

The Social Security Act of 1935 is recognized as the first significant federal involvement in social welfare that established a minimum standard of living as a right for individuals. This landmark legislation introduced a framework for social insurance programs aimed at providing financial support to various groups, including the elderly, disabled, and unemployed. The establishment of old-age benefits and unemployment insurance marked a shift in policy, recognizing the government's role in ensuring some level of economic security for its citizens.

This act was a response to the widespread poverty experienced during the Great Depression and aimed to address social and economic injustices by enabling access to essential resources. By creating a social safety net, it acknowledged that certain baseline economic needs should be guaranteed by the state, ultimately laying the foundation for future social welfare programs and protections. This was a pivotal move toward institutionalizing the idea that access to a minimum standard of living is a societal obligation, reflecting the evolving understanding of human rights and social justice during that time.