Francis Townsend

Francis Townsend was an American physician and social reformer best known for proposing the Townsend Plan in the 1930s, which aimed to provide financial support to senior citizens. His idea was to give older Americans a monthly pension to help them meet expenses, boosting economic activity and reducing poverty among the elderly. The plan called for funding through a national sales tax. While it influenced social security policies, the Townsend Plan itself was never adopted, but it played a significant role in shaping the development of the modern Social Security system.