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HOW FAR WAS THE GREAT SOCIETY SUCCESSFUL AT SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF…
HOW FAR WAS THE GREAT SOCIETY SUCCESSFUL AT SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY?
HEALTHCARE
1965 - Medicare and Medicaid established through the social security act
Health insurance and health coverage - made medical care much more accessible.
Helped lift millions of elderly Americans out of poverty. In 1966, it helped 19 million Americans - therefore it was successful to some extent.
BUT, gaps in coverage e.g. eyeglasses were not covered. If people didn't have access to eyeglasses, that can affect job opportunities and therefore increase likelihood of poverty.
Clearly did not grant every American full access to healthcare, which limits its success.
Created jobs as well - 19 million jobs in the healthcare industry.
EDUCATION/. YOUNG PEOPLE
LBJ's legislation channelled money towards the poorest states with the poorest students.
By the end of LBJ presidency, 13 million children had benefitted from federal aid to education.
Higher education act - college more accessible. This helped more young people escape poverty and be able to attend university, which results in high paid jobs.
1966 Child nutrition act - provides funding to ensure low-income children have access to healthy foods. Helped increase quality of life for many children and helped lift many out of poverty.
Helped shrink the effects of poverty, % of US population in poverty fell from 17% in 1965 to 11% in early 70s.
However, he did not eradicate poverty, limiting its success.
Head start programme - helped pre-schoolers who were economically disadvantaged.
MINORITIES - NON-WHITE AMERICANS
This shows the least success out of all areas of the Great Society.
1/3 of non-white families still lived below the poverty line.
Infant mortality and unemployment rates for non-white families were nearly twice that of White families.
White opposition hindered the 1968 fair housing act's effectiveness.
A large proportion of the non-white American population lived in urban housing in the inner cities.
1965 Housing Act - Financed $8 billion worth of low/moderate income housing.
Improved standard of living and shrink effects of povert, especially for non-white Americans
1968 Fair Housing Act - opened up housing to all Americans, regardless of race. It meant that people living in impoverished black/Hispanic communities had access to safer housing with higher living standards.
Demonstration cities act, meant to help cities provided housing. It was underfunded which hindered its effectiveness.
Overall:
Great society did help a large chunk of the American population.
It reduced the effects of poverty in particularly vulnerable areas.
But, it did not eradicate poverty, and a significant number of people were still living below the poverty line.