The Great Society Q. In what ways did the Great Society resemble the New Deal in its origins, goals, and social and political legacy? Cite specific programs.

The Great SocietyThe Great SocietyQ. In what ways did the Great Society Q. In what ways did the Great Society resemble the New Deal in its origins, resemble the New Deal in its origins,

goals, and social and political legacy? goals, and social and political legacy? Cite specific programs and policies in Cite specific programs and policies in

support of your arguments. support of your arguments.

I. Johnson’s War on PovertyI. Johnson’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)

►LBJ remembered his first-hand LBJ remembered his first-hand experience of poverty and racismexperience of poverty and racism Saw his role in uplifting the poor as the Saw his role in uplifting the poor as the

real goal of his presidencyreal goal of his presidency

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

II. Social and Political II. Social and Political Background of the Great SocietyBackground of the Great Society

A. Rebirth of the New DealA. Rebirth of the New Deal►No other president since FDR has done No other president since FDR has done

so much for the poor and so much for the poor and underprivilegedunderprivileged

►435 bills pushed through Congress 435 bills pushed through Congress dealing with these problemsdealing with these problems

►The Great Society would make good on The Great Society would make good on its promises to every American its promises to every American regardless of color, sex, or backgroundregardless of color, sex, or background

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

►ND took place during crisis; GS during ND took place during crisis; GS during period of relative affluence and period of relative affluence and abundanceabundance American believed government could American believed government could

afford to divert funds to the needyafford to divert funds to the needy

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

►““Managerial liberalism”: government Managerial liberalism”: government works in favor of liberal reformsworks in favor 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 Gov. spending 1933-39 only about 9% of GDP

(1946 30%); FDR tried to balance the budget (1946 30%); FDR tried to balance the budget in 1937in 1937 recession recession

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

B. Poverty and the “Culture of B. Poverty and the “Culture of Poverty”Poverty”

►1962: 1/4 Americans lived in poverty 1962: 1/4 Americans lived in poverty even though economic growth rate even though economic growth rate was phenomenalwas phenomenal Doc HDoc H

►Proved America’s economic system did Proved America’s economic system did not provide for equitynot provide for equity 12.1% in 2002= 34.6 million12.1% in 2002= 34.6 million Poverty= family of four earning Poverty= family of four earning

$18,244/year$18,244/year

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

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

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

► Ideological foundation of GSIdeological foundation of GS

III. The Great SocietyIII. The 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

►NotNot stereotypical welfare: provide stereotypical welfare: provide public goods and services so that the public goods and services so that the poor could break free and become poor could break free and become self-reliantself-reliant

A. The Economic Opportunity A. The Economic Opportunity Act (1964)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 Corps, Jobs Corps, Neighborhood Youth Corps, Head Start, and Upward BoundHead Start, and Upward Bound

►Doc BDoc B

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 disad.disad.

► 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 and psychological skillssocial and psychological skills

► Same reasoning behind Same reasoning behind Sesame Street and Blues Sesame Street and Blues CluesClues 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 Physically remove from neighborhood to job training camps: blue collar to job training camps: blue collar occupational trainingoccupational training

►Criticism: cost $8000 per student Criticism: cost $8000 per student (more than a year at Harvard)(more than a year at Harvard)

►Missed the point: helped people who Missed the point: helped people who never made it nearly that farnever made it nearly that far

►¼ never made it to grade 8; 1/2+ ¼ never made it to grade 8; 1/2+ blacks; all poorblacks; all poor

►Helped those shut out of America’s Helped those shut out of America’s institutionsinstitutions

B. Medicare and Medicaid B. Medicare and Medicaid (1965)(1965)

► Medical aid for the elderly Medical aid for the elderly and poorand poor

► Truman attempted similar Truman attempted similar health care reforms in 40s, but health care reforms in 40s, but shot down by AMA (American shot down by AMA (American Medical Association)Medical 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

C. Housing and Urban C. Housing and Urban DevelopmentDevelopment

►HUD: provided low interest loans to HUD: provided low interest loans to private companies that provided private companies that provided housinghousing

►Rent subsidies for poor to make up Rent subsidies for poor to make up difference between rent and what difference between rent and what people could paypeople could pay

IV. The End of the Great IV. The End of the Great SocietySociety

► GS marked high tide of New Deal liberalismGS marked high tide of New Deal liberalism► Expanded “welfare state”Expanded “welfare state”► Some saw GS as abuse of federal powerSome saw GS as abuse of federal power

Doc GDoc G► Argued that GS created new culture of poverty: Argued that GS created new culture of poverty:

“welfare queens” who abuse system instead of “welfare queens” who abuse system instead of working (anecdotal)working (anecdotal) Tinged with race, despite most poor people are whiteTinged with race, despite most poor people are white

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

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

billion on povertybillion on poverty

► Impulse behind GS died Impulse behind GS died away, esp. with coming of away, esp. with coming of inflation of late 1960s and inflation of late 1960s and 1970s (caused by oil crisis 1970s (caused by oil crisis and bad economyand bad economy

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