New Forms of Social Services
The Great SocietyAfter JFK's assassination, his vice president Lyndon B. Johnson continued his reforms. LBJ created the Great Society, meaning plans for a better society by expanding welfare. This included most notably the creation of medicare, the the Civil Rights act, the Voting Rights Act, and the implementing of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also fought the war on poverty by promoting early childhood education and fair employment policies.
Johnson's reforms were similar to European countries implemented in the 1940s and 1950s. In England under Clement Attlee, the labour government began nationalizing many public and private utilities. This included transportation, the Bank of England, and healthcare. His government served as a model for later welfare states. Even today, one of the Obama administration's goals was to pass the affordable healthcare act. President Bush began No Child Left Behind, intended to promote a fairer educational field for disadvantaged students. |
Lyndon B. Johnson Outlines His Great Society, January 4, 1965
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"All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin." ~ Civil Rights Act of 1964
Post-WWII Development of the British Welfare State
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EnglandFollowing WWII in 1946, the National Insurance Act and the National Health Service Act were passed. The insurance act created a social security system with nationalized health insurance, while the health act required doctores and dentists to work with state institutions. As the 20th century progressed, the British government continued to grow its social welfare programs. By 1955, social programs took 30% of GDP. By the end of the century, that figure nearly doubled to 55% of GDP. The basis for the British welfare state came from William Beveridge's report to the government in 1942 entitled Social Insurance and Allied Services.
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The Christian Democrats
Ideology
Following World War II, the Christian Democrats became a dominant force in European politics. Emerging from parties with Catholic affiliation, the group came to accept Christians of all denominations throughout Europe. The main goals of the Christian Democrats were to promote democracy, fight communism, and to create social programs to bring voters from different classes to the right.
Growth
The Christian Democrats came to play a predominant role in the politics of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Germany and Italy had the strongest Christian Democratic parties of any of the European countries.
In Italy, Alcide De Gasperi, a Christian Democrat, served as the prime minister of postwar Italy until 1953. In the 1950s and 1960s, Italy underwent a phase of industrialization that came to involve cooperation between private businesses and the government. Under Keynesian influence, the Italian government under the "Democrazia Cristiana" created social programs to stimulate growth. Also, while the Christian Democrats were in power, Italy signed on to the Treaty of Rome, which created the European Economic Community.
In West Germany, the "founding hero" of the Federal Republic, Konrad Adenauer, was a Christian Democrat. He sought out good relations with the United States and France, and during the Korean War, he feared of a communist attack on West Germany, reflecting the anti-communist views of the Christian Democrats. His time in office, alongside his finance minister Ludwig Erhard, brought about great prosperity for the people of West Germany, with increases in wages and a low unemployment rate at 0.4% in 1965. In Germany, medical care was free to people with some kind of insurance, and laws were passed to discourage women from working. Germany's post-WWII government was an example of a Welfare state crafted in large part by Christian Democratic policies.
Following World War II, the Christian Democrats became a dominant force in European politics. Emerging from parties with Catholic affiliation, the group came to accept Christians of all denominations throughout Europe. The main goals of the Christian Democrats were to promote democracy, fight communism, and to create social programs to bring voters from different classes to the right.
Growth
The Christian Democrats came to play a predominant role in the politics of Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Germany and Italy had the strongest Christian Democratic parties of any of the European countries.
In Italy, Alcide De Gasperi, a Christian Democrat, served as the prime minister of postwar Italy until 1953. In the 1950s and 1960s, Italy underwent a phase of industrialization that came to involve cooperation between private businesses and the government. Under Keynesian influence, the Italian government under the "Democrazia Cristiana" created social programs to stimulate growth. Also, while the Christian Democrats were in power, Italy signed on to the Treaty of Rome, which created the European Economic Community.
In West Germany, the "founding hero" of the Federal Republic, Konrad Adenauer, was a Christian Democrat. He sought out good relations with the United States and France, and during the Korean War, he feared of a communist attack on West Germany, reflecting the anti-communist views of the Christian Democrats. His time in office, alongside his finance minister Ludwig Erhard, brought about great prosperity for the people of West Germany, with increases in wages and a low unemployment rate at 0.4% in 1965. In Germany, medical care was free to people with some kind of insurance, and laws were passed to discourage women from working. Germany's post-WWII government was an example of a Welfare state crafted in large part by Christian Democratic policies.
Impact
The Christian Democrats were leading parties in many nations that signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957, including Italy and West Germany. Through this treaty, the Christian Democrats created a European Economic Community based on democratic principles that incorporated welfare and protections for various professionals. They also influenced the conversation of European politics in post WWII Europe and put a focus on the idea of legislating Welfare States. In modern day, the Christian Democrats continue to play a powerful role in European politics, especially in Germany where Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Union party has served as the Chancellor of Germany since 2005 and is Germany's first female chancellor. |