LBJ's policies to reduce poverty included the Great Society and which economic program?

• A. Civil Rights Act
• B. Economic Opportunity Act
• C. Medicare and Medicaid
• D. Voter Registration Act

Answer: (B)

LBJ’s Great Society aimed to reduce poverty by creating opportunities that could lift people out of poverty, not just provide temporary aid. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established the Office of Economic Opportunity to coordinate a range of antipoverty initiatives. It funded Job Corps for job training, Head Start for early education, VISTA to mobilize volunteers in service to communities, and other community-action programs. This emphasis on creating pathways to work, education, and community support is what makes it the best match for a poverty-reduction economic program.

The Civil Rights Act targeted desegregation and equal rights; Medicare and Medicaid are healthcare programs; and the Voting Rights Act focused on protecting voting rights. These were important reforms of the era but do not represent the specific economic program designed to address poverty through opportunities and work.