Johnson's Great Society

What was Johnson's Great Society?

Lyndon B Johnson's key aim was the 'Great Society'. This aimed to end poverty and make a more equal America.

What were the successes of the Great Society?

The Great Society had 4 key successes.

• ❖ Civil Rights: The 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed, which ended segregation in public places, and discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin.
• ❖ Economy: He introduced the Job Corps to help high school leavers get jobs. The minimum wage was raised from $1.25 per hour to $1.40.
• ❖ Poverty: He signed the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964, to help equal opportunities. The Medical Care Act 1965 provided Medicare for the old and Medicaid for the poor. In 1959, 56% of African Americans lived below the poverty line; by 1970 it was 30%.
• ❖ Education: Operation Headstart gave money to schools in cities to provide a better education for the poor.

Was Johnson's Great Society a failure?

There were 3 key failures of the Great Society.

• ❖ Civil Rights: In 1964 and 1965 there were riots in Harlem, New York and Watts, after African American men were shot by police officers.
• ❖ Economy: Programmes were costly to run and increased national debt. Social Security and Medicare took the largest part of the budget.
• ❖ Poverty: By 1968, unemployment was on the increase, and there was widespread rioting in the poorer areas of some cities.