19th Century Fusionism

From David Ricardo's 1817 book, Principles of Political Economy and Taxation:

It is a truth which admits not a doubt, that the comforts and well being of the poor cannot be permanently secured without some regard on their part, or some effort on the part of the legislature, to regulate the increase of their numbers, and to render less frequent among them early and improvident marriages. The operation of the system of poor laws has been directly contrary to this. They have rendered restraint superfluous, and have invited imprudence by offering it a portion of the wages of prudence and industry.

Apparently the welfare queens have been holding us back for two hundred years now. Bryan Caplan gives this argument its most up to date form. I stand with common sense that if you give poor people more money, that makes poor people better off.