(1) There were three major influences in Lyndon Johnson’s life. The first was his father, Sam Johnson, and young LBJ absorbed his passion for politics. LBJ also adopted Sam Johnson’s belief in a “kind of government that could do things personally for people”(Schulman 7), and his dedication to his constituents. The second factor was the year LBJ spent teaching at Cotulla, Texas. At Cotulla, he saw poverty and hatred; later he said, “Somehow you never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scares on the face of a young child”(Schulman 9) He never did, and during his Presidency he waged a nation changing “war on poverty.” Here he also reaffirmed his belief that ed

(3) FDR’s “Four Freedoms” solidified the link between liberalism and active government. The “Four Freedoms” were freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The New Deal also gave “direct aid the American people”; instead of just being a police officer, the government offered a helping hand. Secondly, it “acknowledged and empowered social and economic groups,” like labor unions; and made business to recognize and negotiate with them. Third, it “expanded and reorganized” the executive office and made it the head and uncontested leader of the government. Finally, the New Deal “transformed the American party system.” It brought in a new attitude into the government and ended three quarters of a century of republican dominance.

(2) Classical liberalism took on a “negative view of freedom.” They believed that a big and active government is the biggest threat to freedom. Modern liberals were exactly the opposite, they believed in an active government. They viewed that a big government will help protect the freedom that people enjoy.

(14) Watts depressed Johnson because, he was wondering why the world was still in turmoil after all the things that he had done. In addition, it handcuffed him politically because he condemned violence and worried that it would impede the Great Society. He also did not want it to stimulate racial backlash nor did he want to appease the rioters.

(5) Keynesian economics proclaimed that growth can be engineered and a stagnant economy can be heated up to prevent future depressions. It also said that the government could use “fiscal policy, it power of taxing and spending, to stimulate the economy”(Schulman 36).

(6) American Keynesians wanted the economy to keep growing bigger and bigger, so that there will be enough for everybody; some believed that this was an American alternative to Marxism. They believed in an “ever expanding pie” of economic success.

(18) EEOC marked a new phase in the evolution of American liberalism because it gave more attention to group based rights, instead of focusing of individual complaints and liberties. The government would not only address the concerns of certain people and minorities, but it would “assure the fair representation of those groups, as groups, in all arenas of American life” (Schulman 120).

(12) There were two political mistakes that Johnson made that ultimately stifled the Great Society. First, he “underestimated the expense of leading a two-front war in Vietnam” (Schulman 101). Johnson thought that he could fund the Great Society at home, as well as support the war against communism in Vietnam; later he regretted leaving the “lady he loved” for the war in Vietnam. Second, Johnson did not anticipate racial backlash. Combined with the civil rights movement and the war on poverty, many American thought that Johnson was giving too much importance to African Americans and other minorities; this caused antagonism toward Johnson and liberal government.

(22) Johnson’s liberalism misled him about the Vietnam War because he believed “in the potency of government action, and in the capacity of the federal government to foster freedom and opportunity are at home…”(Schulman 152). He believed that America could support a war in Vietnam as well as continue to strive toward his

Some topics in this essay:
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