Administration Quote by David Frum
“The Great Society went wrong for three major reasons. First, the self-organization the Johnson administration promoted turned out to be not the pooling of family and community resources into shops and businesses, but political pressure for government handouts. Second, the Great Society failed to anticipate the perverse side-effects of handing money out to people who have done nothing to earn it. Third, while the Great Society was showering money on the poor, the Supreme Court was with childlike glee smashing to bits traditional methods of maintaining law and order.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Commentary on Great Society, 1990s
The Great Society’s policies backfired because they created government dependency, ignored unintended consequences, and undermined law enforcement institutions.
In simple terms: Government aid created dependency and weakened order.
Key Takeaway
Avoid policies that foster dependency and erode institutions.
Themes
government policy
social welfare
law enforcement
political economy
unintended consequences
Mood
critical
analytical
skeptical
Type
political
economic
social
When to use this quote
- policy design
- welfare reform
- community development
- criminal justice reform
- judicial restraint
Key Concepts
dependency
perverse incentives
institutional erosion
political pressure
social safety nets
Questions to Reflect On
- How can aid be structured to empower rather than create dependency?
- What safeguards protect law enforcement while expanding social programs?
A Different Perspective
The critique may overlook benefits of poverty reduction programs.
![“[democrats] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after the Democrats gave up,” quote by David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/63d/david-frum-3455_democracy_democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-won_232462.jpg)
