Liberalism in the 1960

Liberalism in the 1960

A new decade, the 1960s, brought new leaders, new ideas, and a new sense of optimism. A fresh brand of liberalism, many believed, could repair the defects of the consumer society -- poverty, environmental degradation, Americans’ poor health and welfare -- with a new approach to the political economy. Liberals wanted more of the nation’s wealth and power directed to solving these problems at home and challenging the expansion of communism abroad. A new, young president, John F. Kennedy, symbolized those hopes. Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 election was seen as a mandate for implementing those changes. Johnson’s program was called the "Great Society." It aimed to wipe out poverty and enhance the quality of life for all Americans. With a liberal majority on the Supreme Court, the principles of liberalism, turned into law, were transforming American government and society. The civil rights movement benefited from and encouraged the liberal agenda of the 1960s. Government officials and President Johnson allied themselves and their power with the movement. The result was legislation outlawing segregation and restoring black voters’ rights. Activism by African-Americans and the federal government resulted in positive change, rising eligible southern blacks registered to vote from 20% in 1960 in 62% in 1970. What was more difficult to obtain was real social change. The liberals carried the same activist fervor to fighting the expansion of communism. Kennedy and Johnson were as staunchly anticommunist as Eisenhower and Truman. The Great Society modified the nation’s defense and foreign policies of the 1950s by increasing defense spending and American commitments to foreign governments. Containment, that is halting the expansion of communism, continued to influence Kennedy’s and Johnson’s decision-making in the 1960s. Their optimism helped produce some dangerous crises. Where Eisenhower resisted sending troops to Vietnam, Kennedy deepened the American commitment to...