Stuck in place: urban neighborhoods and the end of progress toward racial equality

existing political arrangements were threatened, anticipated effects failed to materialize quickly, or other budget priorities (chiefly the Vietnam war) surfaced. As with any large-scale conflict, the “fog or war” imposed a messy reality on wellintentioned plans. In signing the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, Johnson asserted that he wanted to enhance ‘opportunity’ and not increase public ‘doles.’ Over time, however, the provision of cash and cash-like benefits to the poor increasingly came to dominate the policy landscape. And while a growing economy had made the elimination of poverty a seemingly reasonable goal to those launching this war, the problem proved more intractable than imagined. Was the War on Poverty won or lost? The authors offer no easy answer, simply because there is none to offer. The official poverty rate bottomed out in the early 1970s at 11.1%. The elderly have fared well, while children have not. Overall, it is difficult to see significant aggregate progress. While few today recall that a War on Poverty was declared in 1964 this volume documents how much subsequent social policies were shaped during this period. Clearly, victory has proved elusive. Yet, considering the trends that have driven income inequality to heights not seen since the onset of the Great Depression, arguably this war has done much to mitigate those trends’ worse consequences. This volume should be read by all students of public policy. It offers a cogent and clear examination of both the difficulties and necessity of addressing one of society’s most enduring problems.