NEW DEAL VS GREAT SOCIETY
Being a leader requires an immense amount of work. People look for guidance in their lives and often rely on the one in charge to point them in the right direction. The capacity of the United States’ presidency has evolved over the years, but for the most part each president wishes to define his term(s) with a crowning achievement. Two of the most influential presidents were Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. Each of them brought sweeping changes to the nation through various social and economic programs. Roosevelt enacted The New Deal reforms and Johnson aspired to mold the country into The Great Society. Although they bear some minor similarities, the long-lasting effects of the New Deal and the Great
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Johnson entered the office of the presidency as the successor to John F. Kennedy. Following JFK’s tragic death, Johnson wished to enact policies that drew inspiration from the “New Frontier” (PBS 2014). This collection of initiatives and programs make up The Great Society. There was a major focus on Civil Rights and constant battles regarding that subject throughout Johnson’s term. Johnson pushed for reforms in education and an individual’s ability to afford it. His presidency also saw some of the first major environmental reforms, as well as the famous “war on poverty”. Each program made an effort to take an already flourishing country to even greater heights, at least in the mind of the …show more content…
The effects of war can strongly influence the public perception of a president’s term in office. It makes sense that both FDR and Lyndon Johnson had to deal with war during their push for sweeping change in the country. As I mentioned before, the New Deal did not end the Depression, and the economy continued to have its struggles. The United States entered World War II after an attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. War is expensive, but also requires a large amount of man power. Many civilians either entered the battle, or worked in the factories. As the time wore on, so did the funds for many of FDR’s New Deal programs. One of the most socially viable programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps, became obsolete because of rising costs from the war (A&E Television Networks