Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Report - Essay Example Both the New Deal and the Great Society were programs that were supported by social activists. Roosevelt faced an economy in severe disarray, while Johnson became president during a period of prosperity. The New Deal was almost exclusively aimed at correcting the economic woes that faced America, while the Great Society also meant to correct racial injustice and environmental problems brought on by a changing demographic and new technologies (Johnson, ch. 28). Roosevelt faced high unemployment and extreme poverty when he took office. His programs, such as the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Agricultural Adjustment Act were designed to put people to work and place money into the hands of the average consumer (Roark 626 - 629). Johnsons plans were engineered to elevate the social quality of society by instituting massive programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Roark 732-736). While Roosevelts programs put Americans back to work an d met their most basic needs, Johnsons legislation was meant to decrease the gap between rich and poor and give America a vision for the future. While both programs have had their critics, they have also had their success. Critics have often pointed to the negative effects of sweeping government economic programs that disrupt the market. However, the programs of the New Deal were able to stimulate the economy and bring people out of unemployment. Roosevelts programs brought electricity to the rural south and built national infrastructure. Johnsons Great Society has resulted in medical care for the neediest Americans and has enabled millions of students to attend college that otherwise would have been unable to attend. World War II would test the resolve and will of the American public to engage itself in the new global arena. Since the beginning of the