HIST 1025 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: John Kenneth Galbraith, Lyndon B. Johnson, The Affluent Society
April 18
Song: Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas (1965)
Party anthem of the mid-60s, but people also poured out into the streets to protest
Vietnam.
FCQs are due by the end of this week (in email)
The 1960s: From the Climax of Liberalism to the Collapse of Consensus
1. The discovery of poverty: from the 1950s to the 1960s
2. Lyndon Johnson, the Great Society, and the climax of liberalism
3. Beyond consensus: expanding protest in the later 1960s
○ Black power
○ The New Left
○ 1968: year of the upheavals
David Potter, People of Plenty (1954)
John Kenneth Galbraith, The Affluent Society (1958)-America is financially stable
because not many Americans are affected by poverty, capitalism is a big success. Just
keep producing, and all abundance will spread through all people.
Michael Harrington, The Other America (1962)- Key document in rediscovery of poverty.
He called poverty-stricken the “invisible poor.” Poor people were invisible to
suburbanites. They didn’t have to see poor people.
Henry George, Progress and Poverty (1879)- expand power of the government to
address social issues and eliminate poverty
Kennedy read The Other America while in Office. Appealed to young people to take
action in elections and in politics. Lots of those young people got involved in the Civil
Rights Movement. After his assassination, young people felt isolated. They wondered
what Johnson would do to help the Civil Rights Movement.
2. Lyndon Johnson, the Great Society, and the climax of liberalism
Johnson looked at Kennedy as immature, and he was more politically experienced than
Kennedy.
The Great Society program: plan to end poverty and racial injustice to create a truly
great society. ← This is the climax of liberalism
The Johnson treatment- big guy, vulgar, brash, intimidating.
Lyndon Johnson:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Song: dancing in the street by martha and the vandellas (1965) Party anthem of the mid-60s, but people also poured out into the streets to protest. Fcqs are due by the end of this week (in email) John kenneth galbraith, the affluent society (1958)-america is financially stable because not many americans are affected by poverty, capitalism is a big success. Just keep producing, and all abundance will spread through all people. Michael harrington, the other america (1962)- key document in rediscovery of poverty. He called poverty-stricken the invisible poor. poor people were invisible to suburbanites. Henry george, progress and poverty (1879)- expand power of the government to address social issues and eliminate poverty. Kennedy read the other america while in office. Appealed to young people to take action in elections and in politics. Lots of those young people got involved in the civil.
