Lyndon Johnson's Great Society was the most ambitious and controversial American reform effort since the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt. Conceived in a time of prosperity rather than devastating depression, it sought to forge a consensus that rested on ideals rather than harsh economic realities. In this narrative analysis, John Andrew examines the underlying ideas and principal objectives of Great Society legislation in the areas of civil rights, poverty, health, education, urban life, and consumer issues-legislation that addressed some of the most important and complex problems facing American society in the mid-1960s. These efforts in some way touched the lives of most Americans. But, as Mr. Andrew points out, LBJ's consensus could persist only by avoiding divisive issues. As times changed and the economy deteriorated, the mood of the nation shifted, and the ideals of the mid-sixties collapsed in the face of ideological and political polarization. In the end, as Mr. Andrew shows, much of the Great Society failed along with the idealism that had sparked it. Yet the issues it addressed proved so intractable that the search for solutions continues to generate political controversy even today.

About the Author
John A. Andrew III died shortly after completing the writing of Power to Destroy. He was professor of history at Franklin & Marshall College and the author of The Other Side of the Sixties, among other books.

Reviews
"A must read for everyone." * Rapport *
"Concise and cogent...an evenhanded analysis of the legacy of the Great Society." -- A. J. Dunar * CHOICE *
"Andrew takes on all of the major policy initiatives of the period in admirable detail...a remarkable feat." -- Richard Flanagan * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *
"Sprightly...a valuable addition to the current research on arguably the most turbulent American decade of the twentieth century." -- H. Warren Gardner * Presidential Studies Quarterly *
"Andrew's aim is to see the Great Society clearly, free of the distortions of partisan politics, and to an impressive degree he succeeds." -- Jonathan Yardley * The Review of Higher Education *



Book Information
ISBN 9781566631853
Author John A. Andrew
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Ivan R Dee, Inc
Publisher Ivan R Dee, Inc
Weight(grams) 281g
Dimensions(mm) 213mm * 140mm * 18mm