U.S History and Government
How was Lyndon B Johnson’s Great Society Successful?
The great society was successful because of the goals that were set and how Lyndon B Johnson took initiative to reach these said goals. For instance, two main social reforms and goals that The Great Society tackled were racial injustice and poverty. Johnson also tackled education, medical care, urban problems, transportation and the arts. Johnson believed in a greater quality of life that all Americans deserved to have, and he strived to achieve this through the policies of “The Great Society.” After the WWI economic decline, “The Great Society” was introduced. Because of the bad economy, the way to recover from the harsh economy, tax cuts …show more content…
Johnson’s first months of his presidency, his focus was on eliminating hunger and deprivation that he believed all Americans should have. The centerpiece of the war on poverty was the Office of Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. It created the Office of Economic Opportunity to oversee a wide range of anti-poverty programs such as Community Action program, healthcare, housing and unemployment relief, head start programs. Johnson and his advisors agreed that the best way to undertake the issue was not raise pay but to provide education, job training and community development.Many of the programs and policies that Johnson enacted to fight poverty still exist today. For example, the Social Security Act of 1965 provided medical funds to all American citizens over 65 years of age. This Medicare program still exists today. Also, the Head Start program that gives four- and five-year-old children from disadvantaged families a chance to start school on an even basis with other youngsters was introduced as part of The Great Society programs. The Elementary and Secondary Ed. Act of 1965 provided federal aid to public education. Student Loans for educational purposes also became available as well. The Public broadcasting Act of 1967 established the corporation of Public Broadcasting which still exists today. Also, the Department of Transportation was established under the programs and policies the “The Great