What was the primary goal of the Great Society programs introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson?

• A. To reduce government spending
• B. To eliminate poverty and racial injustice; expand social welfare
• C. To promote free-market capitalism
• D. To strengthen state boundaries

Answer: (B)

The central idea behind the Great Society was to use federal action to lift people out of poverty and remove barriers to racial equality by expanding social welfare programs. Johnson pushed initiatives like Medicare and Medicaid to provide health care for the elderly and the poor, targeted antipoverty programs through the War on Poverty, and broadened access to education while enforcing civil rights through measures like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. This approach aimed to reshape American society by increasing government roles in health care, education, housing, and civil rights, rather than pulling back on government or embracing a free-market-only model. It also isn’t about strengthening borders or focusing on national defense in a way that would limit domestic social improvements. Therefore, the primary goal was to eliminate poverty and racial injustice by expanding social welfare.