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Difficulty: MediumThe Great Society and the War on Poverty

Source: Statement by a coalition of big-city mayors at the United States Conference of Mayors, 1965.

"We are represented as being opposed to the war on poverty. That is not true. We are opposed, however, to the federal government bypassing elected local officials and established local agencies to fund independent, politically motivated organizations. The insistence on 'maximum feasible participation' of the poor has, in practice, meant the financing of political agitation against city administrations rather than the constructive alleviation of poverty. By funding groups that seek to overthrow the democratic processes of local government, the Office of Economic Opportunity is creating conflict instead of cooperation."

The concerns expressed in the excerpt best reflect which of the following political tensions during the Great Society era?

  1. The conflict between federal efforts to empower local grassroots organizations and the traditional authority of municipal political leadersAnswer
  2. B
    The constitutional debate over the federal government's authority to establish nationwide pension programs like Social Security
  3. C
    The division over whether federal relief should be provided through direct cash payments or structured work-relief programs
  4. D
    The disagreement within the civil rights movement over the use of nonviolent direct action versus legislative lobbying

Answer

The conflict between federal efforts to empower local grassroots organizations and the traditional authority of municipal political leaders
The correct answer is correct because the 'maximum feasible participation' clause of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 directed federal anti-poverty funds directly to community action groups, bypassing local city halls and political machines. This caused significant tension between grassroots community organizers and established urban mayors, who felt their authority and political control were being undermined by federal intervention.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source and context of the stimulus.
The stimulus is a 1965 statement from big-city mayors criticizing the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and its policy of 'maximum feasible participation' for bypassing local government officials.
Understanding the source helps identify the specific historical actors (municipal leaders vs. federal programs/grassroots groups) and their grievances.
2
Identify the core historical concept referenced in the text.
The text references the War on Poverty, specifically 'maximum feasible participation,' which was a hallmark of the Community Action Programs (CAP) under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.
Connecting the stimulus to the specific policies of the Great Society allows for accurate conceptual contextualization.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that matches this administrative and political tension.
The option describing the conflict between federal efforts to empower local grassroots organizations and the traditional authority of municipal political leaders aligns directly with the mayors' complaints about OEO bypassing them to fund independent groups.
This matches the historical reality where big-city mayors (often Democrats) clashed with the Johnson administration over who controlled federal anti-poverty funds and local political patronage.

Key Concept

The Great Society and the War on Poverty
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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The Great Society and the War on Poverty

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