A ‘Great Society’

This section explores Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society initiatives. When Lyndon B. Johnson became president in 1963 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he inherited Kennedy's vision of reform and social justice. Johnson, however, had his own ambitious vision of transforming American society into a place of greater equality and opportunity for all. His plan was called the ‘Great Society’, and it aimed to tackle a wide range of issues, from poverty and racial injustice to education, healthcare, and civil rights. Johnson was a highly skilled and experienced politician, and he used his political acumen to push his policies through Congress, despite facing considerable opposition.

The War on Poverty

Johnson’s focus on creating a ‘Great Society’ centred around the War on Poverty, a concerted effort to reduce the growing economic inequalities in the United States. Johnson proposed a variety of new measures aimed at lifting people out of poverty, ensuring access to better education, and providing healthcare for those in need. His vision for this ‘Great Society’ encompassed several key areas:

• Poverty reduction
• Civil rights
• Urban renewal
• Environmental protections
• Education reform
• Healthcare

In the 1964 election, Johnson won by a decisive margin, securing a strong mandate to push forward with his reform agenda. He used this political capital to implement a range of anti-poverty measures.

Economic Opportunity Act (1964)

One of Johnson's first major steps in the War on Poverty was the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, which allocated federal funds to create programmes aimed at helping people escape poverty. The act sought to provide training, education, and employment opportunities for the unemployed. The idea was that by equipping people with skills and education, they would be able to break free from the cycle of poverty. Some of the key programmes that came out of this Act included:

• Job Corps, which provided vocational training for young people.
• Head Start, a programme designed to give preschool children from disadvantaged backgrounds the best start in life.
• Upward Bound, a programme that provided support for students from low-income families to attend college.

Housing and Urban Renewal

Another important area of Johnson's reform was housing. In many cities across America, housing standards had dramatically declined as people moved out of the cities and into the suburbs. This led to overcrowded, deteriorating neighbourhoods. The 1965 Housing and Urban Development Act (HUD) was passed to address these issues. The act provided significant federal funds for urban renewal, aiming to improve housing in the most deprived areas and tackle the spread of slums. It also established minimum housing standards to ensure that people living in cities had access to basic and safe living conditions. This was part of a broader effort to revitalize America’s urban centres.

Healthcare Reform

One of the biggest achievements of Johnson’s presidency was the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid, which provided healthcare to the most vulnerable segments of the population. Before these reforms, America had a largely privatised healthcare system, where those without private health insurance struggled to access necessary medical treatment. Johnson overcame strong opposition, particularly from the American Medical Association and those who favoured laissez-faire economic policies, to push through this critical reform.

• Medicare: Provided healthcare for the elderly, helping to cover the cost of hospital and medical care for those over 65 years old.
• Medicaid: Offered healthcare assistance to low-income individuals and families, including the unemployed and those without private insurance.

These reforms were part of Johnson’s belief that healthcare was a basic right and that access to medical care should not be determined by a person’s wealth.

Education Reform

Johnson had a deep personal connection to education. Before entering politics, he had worked as a teacher, and he firmly believed that education was key to escaping poverty. During his presidency, he introduced a series of education reforms that aimed to improve opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and increase access to higher education.

Key reforms in education included:

• Operation Head Start (1965): This was a programme aimed at providing early education for children from low-income families, helping to prepare them for school and ensure they were not left behind.
• The 1965 Higher Education Act: This act greatly increased federal funding for colleges and universities and introduced scholarships and low-interest loans for students, making higher education more accessible to young people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• The 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): One of the most significant education reforms in American history, the ESEA allocated federal funding to schools in low-income areas, ensuring that children in deprived areas received the same educational opportunities as those in wealthier districts. This law also emphasised teacher training and provided resources for students in need.

These measures were part of Johnson’s belief that improving education was crucial in helping people rise out of poverty and create a more equitable society.

Assessments of Johnson’s Presidency

Johnson’s presidency was highly ambitious, and his Great Society vision had a lasting impact on American society. His supporters argue that Johnson made significant strides in improving the lives of many Americans, particularly in terms of civil rights, education, and healthcare. However, there were also significant criticisms of his time in office.

One of the main points of contention was the Vietnam War, which dominated much of Johnson's second term. The war was costly in terms of both finances and human lives, and the growing unpopularity of the conflict led to widespread protests, particularly among students. The issue of conscription (the draft) also led to further unrest, with many young people strongly opposing the war.

Despite this, Johnson’s Great Society reforms had a legacy. Programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Civil Rights Act (passed in 1964 and 1965, partly because of Johnson’s push) helped to make American society fairer and more just for many marginalised groups. Johnson’s vision of a society where the government took responsibility for addressing social and economic issues was a dramatic shift away from the more hands-off approach of previous administrations.

While Lyndon B. Johnson faced significant challenges, especially with the controversial Vietnam War, his domestic policies and the Great Society initiatives transformed American society in fundamental ways. From the introduction of social safety nets like Medicare and Medicaid to sweeping education reforms, Johnson’s legacy in these areas remains influential to this day.