The Great The Great SocietySociety

Johnson’s War on PovertyJohnson’s War on Poverty

►LBJ started his career as a school LBJ started his career as a school teacher in Texas in the 1930steacher in Texas in the 1930s Mostly Mexican-AmericansMostly Mexican-Americans Similar status to blacks in the SouthSimilar status to blacks in the South

►Segregation: schools, facilities, neighborhoodsSegregation: schools, facilities, neighborhoods►Worked for whites in low-paying jobsWorked for whites in low-paying jobs

► Inspired by FDR and New DealInspired by FDR and New Deal Worked in NYA (National Youth Administration)Worked in NYA (National Youth Administration)

Johnson’s War on PovertyJohnson’s War on Poverty

►LBJ remembered his first-LBJ remembered his first-hand experience of poverty hand experience of poverty and racismand racismSaw his role in uplifting the Saw his role in uplifting the

poor as the real goal of his poor as the real goal of his presidencypresidency

Johnson’s War on PovertyJohnson’s War on Poverty

LBJ’s Dual LegacyLBJ’s Dual Legacy

►1) Escalation of Vietnam: tore apart 1) Escalation of Vietnam: tore apart Vietnam and the US (literally and Vietnam and the US (literally and figuratively)figuratively)

►2) Programs to battle poverty and 2) Programs to battle poverty and racism: brought the US togetherracism: brought the US together

Social and Political Background of the Social and Political Background of the Great SocietyGreat Society

Rebirth of the New DealRebirth of the New Deal►No other president since FDR has done so No other president since FDR has done so

much for the poor and underprivilegedmuch for the poor and underprivileged►435 bills pushed through Congress dealing 435 bills pushed through Congress dealing

with these problemswith these problems►The Great Society would make good on its The Great Society would make good on its

promises to every American regardless of promises to every American regardless of color, sex, or backgroundcolor, sex, or background

►GS picked up where New Deal left off: even GS picked up where New Deal left off: even greater extension of role of Federal greater extension of role of Federal governmentgovernment

►ND took place during crisis; GS during ND took place during crisis; GS during period of relative affluence and abundanceperiod of relative affluence and abundance American believed government could afford to American believed government could afford to

divert funds to the needydivert funds to the needy

Social and Political Background of the Social and Political Background of the Great SocietyGreat Society

► Like ND, the GS Like ND, the GS notnot revolutionary: no significant revolutionary: no significant structural changes in societystructural changes in society Fine tuned economy and diverted resourcesFine tuned economy and diverted resources

► ““Managerial liberalism”: government works in Managerial liberalism”: government works in favor of liberal reformsfavor of liberal reforms

► Like the ND, Like the ND, notnot a tax and spend program a tax and spend program Gov. spending 1933-39 only about 9% of GDP (1946 Gov. spending 1933-39 only about 9% of GDP (1946

30%); FDR tried to balance the budget in 193730%); FDR tried to balance the budget in 1937 recessionrecession

LBJ signed dramatic tax cuts for individuals and LBJ signed dramatic tax cuts for individuals and corporations early oncorporations early on

Social and Political Background of the Social and Political Background of the Great SocietyGreat Society

JFK/LBJRMN/GF

JCRR GB1

WJCW

►LBJ able to do so much because:LBJ able to do so much because: 1) “Landslide Lyndon”: 1964 election 1) “Landslide Lyndon”: 1964 election

swept Democrats into majority in both swept Democrats into majority in both houses, enormous mandate for LBJ (61% houses, enormous mandate for LBJ (61% pop. vote)pop. vote)

2) Kennedy legacy and assassination2) Kennedy legacy and assassination

Social and Political Background of the Social and Political Background of the Great SocietyGreat Society

Poverty and the “Culture of Poverty”Poverty and the “Culture of Poverty”

►1962: 1/4 Americans lived in poverty even 1962: 1/4 Americans lived in poverty even though economic growth rate was though economic growth rate was phenomenalphenomenal

►Proved America’s economic system did not Proved America’s economic system did not provide for equityprovide for equity 12.1% in 2002= 34.6 million12.1% in 2002= 34.6 million Poverty= family of four earning $18,244/yearPoverty= family of four earning $18,244/year

► Michael Harrington Michael Harrington The Other America The Other America (1962): (1962): large #s of Americans obviously not prosperinglarge #s of Americans obviously not prospering

► Children of the poor often never rise above poverty Children of the poor often never rise above poverty in adulthood: poverty a fixed condition (caste not in adulthood: poverty a fixed condition (caste not class)class)

► ““Culture of poverty”: lost hope in ever rising; Culture of poverty”: lost hope in ever rising; fatalism; to be poor is to be an “internal alien”fatalism; to be poor is to be an “internal alien” Controversial and long term harmfulControversial and long term harmful

► Ideological foundation of GSIdeological foundation of GS

Poverty and the “Culture of Poverty”Poverty and the “Culture of Poverty”

The Great SocietyThe Great Society

►GS to provide for: health care, GS to provide for: health care, affordable housing, decent standard of affordable housing, decent standard of living, educationliving, education

►Not stereotypical welfare: provide public Not stereotypical welfare: provide public goods and services so that the poor could goods and services so that the poor could break free and become self-reliantbreak free and become self-reliant

The Economic Opportunity Act (1964)The Economic Opportunity Act (1964)

►Community-based programs and Community-based programs and agencies: wide range of servicesagencies: wide range of services Legal, health, adult educationLegal, health, adult education

►Jobs Corps, Neighborhood Youth Jobs Corps, Neighborhood Youth Corps, Head Start, and Upward BoundCorps, Head Start, and Upward Bound

1. Head Start1. Head Start

► Based on data showing that Based on data showing that poor entered school at a poor entered school at a disadvantage.disadvantage.

► Child development for Child development for preschool + kindergarten to preschool + kindergarten to teach basic skills for 1teach basic skills for 1stst grade grade

► Designed to build self-Designed to build self-confidence for successconfidence for success social social and psychological skillsand psychological skills

► Same reasoning behind Sesame Same reasoning behind Sesame Street and Blues CluesStreet and Blues Clues 33rdrd grade literacy grade literacy Harlem Children’s ZoneHarlem Children’s Zone

2. Job Corps2. Job Corps

►Provide educational and vocational Provide educational and vocational training: recruit unemployed men training: recruit unemployed men (later expanded to women)(later expanded to women)

►Physically remove from neighborhood to Physically remove from neighborhood to job training camps: blue collar job training camps: blue collar occupational trainingoccupational training

Medicare and Medicaid (1965)Medicare and Medicaid (1965)► Truman attempted similar Truman attempted similar

health care reforms in 40s, health care reforms in 40s, but shot down by AMA but shot down by AMA (American Medical (American Medical Association)Association) Claimed 1Claimed 1stst step toward step toward

socialism: Stalin in the backyardsocialism: Stalin in the backyard► Ronald Reagan got his Ronald Reagan got his

conservative credentials (former conservative credentials (former New Deal Democrat) railing New Deal Democrat) railing against Medicare as creation of against Medicare as creation of totalitarian dictatorshiptotalitarian dictatorship

► LBJ overcame objectionsLBJ overcame objections► Plus “States’ Rights”: Medicare Plus “States’ Rights”: Medicare

would require white hospitals to would require white hospitals to serve blacksserve blacks

► Medicare: elderlyMedicare: elderly► Medicaid: poorMedicaid: poor

Truman present for the signingTruman present for the signing

Housing and Urban DevelopmentHousing and Urban Development

►HUD: provided low interest loans to private HUD: provided low interest loans to private companies that provided housingcompanies that provided housing

►Rent subsidies to make up difference between Rent subsidies to make up difference between rent and what people could payrent and what people could pay

ImmigrationImmigration

►1965: Reformed 1920s quota system 1965: Reformed 1920s quota system (explicitly racist and nativist (trying to keep (explicitly racist and nativist (trying to keep the US for “Americans”: WASPs))the US for “Americans”: WASPs))

►Opened up immigration from Asia and Latin Opened up immigration from Asia and Latin AmericaAmerica

►Demographic revolution: Hispanics (12.5%) Demographic revolution: Hispanics (12.5%) now the largest minority, exceeding blacks now the largest minority, exceeding blacks (12.3%)(12.3%) Asian (3.6%); White (75.1%)Asian (3.6%); White (75.1%)

The End of the Great SocietyThe End of the Great Society► GS marked high tide of New Deal liberalismGS marked high tide of New Deal liberalism

► Some argued that it expanded the “welfare state”Some argued that it expanded the “welfare state”

► Some saw GS as abuse of federal powerSome saw GS as abuse of federal power

► Argued that GS created new culture of poverty: “welfare Argued that GS created new culture of poverty: “welfare queens” who abuse system instead of working (anecdotal)queens” who abuse system instead of working (anecdotal) Tinged with race, despite most poor people are whiteTinged with race, despite most poor people are white

► Many politicians elected since (Reagan, Gingrich) w/promise Many politicians elected since (Reagan, Gingrich) w/promise of doing away with these programsof doing away with these programs ““Contract with America”Contract with America”

► Most important short term cause of death: escalation of Most important short term cause of death: escalation of VietnamVietnam 1966: $22 billion on war, $1.2 billion on poverty1966: $22 billion on war, $1.2 billion on poverty

► Impulse behind GS died away, esp. with coming of inflation Impulse behind GS died away, esp. with coming of inflation of late 1960s and 1970s (caused by oil crisis and Fed of late 1960s and 1970s (caused by oil crisis and Fed Reserve)Reserve)

► MLK, 1967MLK, 1967: "the promises of the Great Society have been : "the promises of the Great Society have been shot down on the battlefields of Vietnam, making the poor shot down on the battlefields of Vietnam, making the poor white and Negro bear the heaviest burden both at the front white and Negro bear the heaviest burden both at the front and at the home." and at the home."

The End of the Great SocietyThe End of the Great Society

► M. Harrington: “What M. Harrington: “What was supposed to be a was supposed to be a social war turned out to social war turned out to be a skirmish and, in be a skirmish and, in any case, poverty won.”any case, poverty won.”

► Long term: a program Long term: a program for the poor becomes a for the poor becomes a poor programpoor program

The End of the Great SocietyThe End of the Great Society

Questions?Questions?