Analysis of Johnson's The Great Society Essay

During Johnson’s presidency, the federal government significantly extended its domestic responsibilities in attempt to transform the nation to what Johnson called the “Great Society,” in which poverty and racial intolerance ceased to exist. A previously unsurpassed amount of legislation was passed during this time; numerous laws were passed to protect the environment, keep consumers safe, reduce unfairness in education, improve housing in urban areas, provide more assistance to the elderly with health care, and other policies to improve welfare. Johnson called for a “War on Poverty,” and directed more funds to help the poor; government spending towards the poor

One of his major accomplishments he during this time was a War on Poverty. Johnson believed that the cure to poverty was education and therefore passed numerous acts providing federal aid for education. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was the first general federal-aid-to-education law in American history and gave over $1 billion to public and parochial schools for books, library supplies, and special-education courses. The Higher Education Act gave $650 million for scholarships and low-interest loans to poor college students and for funds for college libraries and research facilities. Also, through the Economic Opportunity Act Johnson started antipoverty programs such as the Job Corps, VISTA, Project Head Start, and the Community Action Program. However, these programs were designed by Johnson to be a ?hand up, not a hand out.?

There are countless ways the Great Society resembles the New Deal in its goals. The reduction or elimination of poverty was clearly a universal goal for both the New Deal and the Great Society. The National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) from the New Deal was passed in 1933 to reform industry by inspiring employers to cooperate in an effort to reduce unemployment and increase the wages of their employees (Catapano 2-3). The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was passed in the beginning of the Great Society to create various programs, such as the Head Start program and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) (“Great Society” 148). These two acts both aim to aid low- or no-income citizens to help reduce poverty rates.

The Great Society was a proposed plan of actions intended to benefit the American people. Johnson developed the Great Society in a utopian fashion that proposed programs concerning the cities, the environment and education which in return brought modern liberalism into turmoil and broadened the administrative state. Taking office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy put tremendous pressure on Johnson. Not only did he have his own ideas, he also needed to fulfill the legacy left by Kennedy. In order to do both, he created the Great Society. Johnson wished to create the glue that kept the American people together and according to Paul C. Aiken and John M. Redding (1965) he fulfilled his famous words of, “Let us continue...” while addressing the country after that fatal day in Dallas and passing several acts to better the country.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930’s and President Lyndon B. Johnson Great Society in the 1960’s had several policies, which led to some good outcomes and some not so much. New norms that guided and redefined administration organizations led to the development of schools and educators and to the courses offered for the students. The great society held instruction with less eagerness yet viewed as not that critical. Rather the great society concentrated on more positions globally and acquiring government relief. The New Deal was to fix the unemployment by creating jobs and improve the economy. The Great Society was supporting Civil Rights, lower the unemployment, create a welfare state, and desegregation in education.

When FDR took office, the United States was experiencing one of, if not the worst, economic depression. Labeled the Great Depression, FDR knew that extreme government policies would need to be implemented to combat the problems that existed. To do this, FDR’s “New Deal” policies did just that. Whether it be the Social Security Program or any other aspect of the New Deal, the response was highly effective. In fact, many programs from this time are still in use today, showing just some of the ways that the role of the federal government was changed due to the presidency of FDR.

Federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances and the bill of rights are the four main elements that the constitution is made up of. All four of these elements are what made the constitution strong, lasting over two hundred years. Three separate branches were created that had their own specific powers. The government was then given the power to tax and enforce its laws. The structure of how this one document has governed is what makes the constitution unique. The U.S. constitution established Americas national government and fundamental laws. The constitution guaranteed certain basic rights for the citizens that were unheard of at the time. The constitution established the structure of the federal system and distribution of power between state governments. Citizens that live within the borders of the united states had their own protection of rights. Although the constitution can be flawed in some ways, the document is what had created a great nation; however, the constitution created Americas national government and laws, guaranteed rights for the citizens and continues to represent those living today which makes the constitution unique.

The founding fathers wanted to create a constitution because many believed that the national government had to be stronger than what it had been with the use of the Articles of Confederation. But at the same time they were fearful of human nature and how often it could be seen in the history of other countries such as Britain, for people in the position of power to infringe on the rights of others, by becoming hungry with power. Taking this into account, they wanted to create a government with another power to keep order and to govern. But also make sure there were sufficient checks put in

Great society was a reform program and an idealistic call promoted by Lyndon Johnson in 1964 for improved environmental, conservation, racial, educational, and health programs. Johnson wanted to build a better American by government 's help and funding. In 1965, Congress passed many Great Society measures, including Medicare, civil rights legislation, and federal aid to education. It represented government began to reform the society and started to play a more significant role in the country.

The words of Johnson outline the premise of the liberal consensus, that given the opportunity individuals would work to The "Great Society" programs that were to enable the change, were for the most part enacted under Johnson during his term in office. This stems largely from his experience and power with Congress.

          President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s program of relief, recovery, and reform that aimed at solving the economic problems created by the Depression of the 1930’s, was referred to as the New Deal. The Great Society was the name given to the domestic program of the U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson. Both programs had similar yet opposing points.

The Great Society program was a top priority for President Lyndon B. Johnson in the

Cooperative federalism began to fade away with Johnson’s Great Society program. This program often enacted grant-in-aid programs that the states were not interested in, or were opposed to. The grant-in-aid policies not only affected a few state programs, but now affected many city programs as well. Causing many people to argue that the federal government was taking on a much bigger role than it was intended to.

The institutional perspective states that problems arise from societal deficiencies; welfare is a social right for everyone that meets a particular criteria. The perspective also states that problems are attributed to forces that are beyond and individuals control and there should be a minimal means testing for social welfare. The programs that was instituted by President Kennedy Johnson followed the framework that was set forth by the institutional perspective. For an example Title II program of Community Action helped give money to grass roots organizations, building of day cares, community police programs and welfare access programs. Revolved around solving the problems that rose from societal deficiencies and gave welfare to communities that was easily accessible. In Title V for an example, the Work Experience Program which gave businesses incentives for hiring low-income minorities and AFDC. In essence, Johnson’s Great Society helped created programs and institutions that correlated to welfare and that is the centralized idea being the institutional

The United States Constitution was created after the Articles of Confederation failed due to a weak national government. The objective was to create a strong central government with equal powers across the states. The goal of the Founding Fathers was to create an equal and just government for the United States. The Constitution established a just government by providing equality throughout all aspects of the United States.