ABSTRACT
Social workers who see themselves as social activists have fewer professional and bureaucratic supports for their activities than they did at any time since the 1960s. Part of the reason is the systematic dismantling of the gains made during the War on Poverty since the Nixon administration. Another, perhaps more important, reason is the success social work has had in professionalizing, that is, gaining licensure, increasing the opportunities for private practice, and becoming eligible for third-party payments (Sachs, 1990).
