Great Society

Great Society (USA) The name bestowed by Lyndon Johnson on his vision of an American society with fair educational, health, and social provision for all. Johnson developed the theme in the 1964 election campaign, which he won by a landslide against Barry Goldwater. Johnson presented a programme to Congress comprising a ‘war on poverty’, medical insurance underwritten by the state for all old people and a majority of younger people, particularly the poor, housing developments, and educational provision. It redefined government responsibility for these goals through the creation of the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Some of the most important legislation concerned education, with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 proposing a more effective funding formula for schools, while the Higher Education Act sought to encourage College access irrespective of social background. This legislation was accompanied by the introduction of large, publicly funded health programmes for the poor, Medicaid and Medicare. Other lasting change included the introduction of food stamp provisions for the poor, while the federal government also became involved in culture through the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities and the Public Broadcasting Act. These fundamental reforms were accompanied by lasting civil rights legislation. However, many of these reforms cost Johnson much political capital, as the Watts riots and other civil disturbances helped cause a White backlash against the perceived privileges of welfare recipients. Most importantly, the Vietnam War devastated Johnson's political reputation and absorbed national attention and funds. Much of Johnson's legislation came under attack in subsequent decades, and it is not clear that his vision of a ‘Great Society’ was ever achieved. However, his domestic record was remarkable for its sheer scope, as well as for the President's ability to drive his legislation through Congress.