The Lost War Against Dependency

When measured by its original standards, the War on Poverty was a monumental failure.

Since this year will mark the 50th anniversary of the “War on Poverty,” we can expect many comments and commemorations of this landmark legislation in the development of the American welfare state.

The actual signing of the War on Poverty legislation took place in August 1964, so the 50th anniversary is some months away. But there have already been statements in the media and in politics proclaiming that this vast and costly array of anti-poverty programs “worked.”

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