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The American Poverty Programme 1969–71

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

Robert Holman
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Extract

Studies of the American ‘War on Poverty’ have concentrated on the period 1964–8 during which it attracted much attention due, firstly, to its optimistic claims to abolish poverty and, secondly, to the militant tactics used by some of its participants. Little note has been given to the years 1969–71, yet during this period significant changes occurred. In the Spring term of 1972 I was able to visit a number of the programme's projects and to study at the headquarters of the Office of Economic Opportunity. Having had access to documents with a limited circulation I am thus able to describe developments in the later period in a way which, to my knowledge, has not been published previously in Britain.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Social Policy , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , January 1974 , pp. 21 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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References

1 The University of Birmingham and the William Astor Foundation funded my study visit. I am also grateful to the officials at all levels of OEO who gave freely of their time.

2 For instance, James, E., America Against Poverty, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1970Google Scholar; Moynihan, D., Maximum Feasible Misunderstanding, Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1970Google Scholar; Brager, G. and Purcell, F. (eds), Community Action Against Poverty, New Haven: College and University Press, 1967Google Scholar; Clark, K. and Hopkins, J., A Relevant War Against Poverty, New York: Harper & Row, 1970.Google Scholar

3 For two, often contrasting, views on the effectiveness of these tactics, see Moynihan, , op. cit.Google Scholar, and Piven, F. and Cloward, R., Regulating the Poor, London: Tavistock Publications, 1972.Google Scholar

4 Moynihan, , op. cit., p. 158.Google Scholar

5 OEO, News Summary, 12 08 1969.Google Scholar

6 Ibid., p. 1.

7 OEO, Redirection of the Office of Economic Opportunity (pamphlet), 1970, p. 3.Google Scholar

8 OEO, Digest, 1972, vol. 2, no. 5, p. 2.Google Scholar

9 For a description of the educational criticisms and a reply by Rumsfeld, see Rumsfeld, D., Experiments in Education (pamphlet), OEO, 1970Google Scholar. See also OEO, An Experiment in Performance Contracting. Summary of Preliminary Results, 1972.Google Scholar

10 OEO, Further Preliminary Results of the New Jersey Graduated Work Incentive Experiment, 1971.Google Scholar

11 It is worth noting that Dick Boone, a former Associate Director employed by the poverty programme, had advocated delegation before Nixon came into office.

12 It should be noted that the research aspects of Head Start remained with OEO, while in some cases the Office of Education still used Community Action Agencies to man the projects.

13 OEO, Annual Report, 1969–70, 1971, p. 2.Google Scholar

14 It was later that the delegation of health programmes to another government department was started.

15 See OEO, ‘Guidelines for OEO Special Impact Program, Fiscal Year 1969’, duplicated, p. 2.Google Scholar

16 Particularly, Caplovitz, D., The Poor Pay More, New York: Columbia University Press, 1963Google Scholar; Black, H., Buy Now and Pay Later, New York: Morrow Press, 1961Google Scholar; Margolius, S., The Innocent Consumer v. the Exploiters, New York: Trident Press, 1967.Google Scholar

17 OEO, Consumer Action for the Poor, 1969, p. 2.Google Scholar

18 See NCIC, Neighbourhood Consumer Information Centre, Washington, DC, 1971.Google Scholar

19 For instance, Rumsfeld, D., Nation Press Club Address, OEO (pamphlet), 1970, p. 3.Google Scholar

20 OEO, Annual Report, 1971, 1972, p. 10.Google Scholar

21 However, Professor S. M. Miller has pointed out to me that the recent delegation of manpower training could adversely affect minority groupings. The gains made by the manpower schemes of the poverty programme towards obtaining preferential local job treatment for disadvantaged groups may not be maintained as these schemes are taken over by the central administration.

22 OEO, News Summary, 14 07, 1960, pp. 5–6.Google Scholar

23 Of course, this was not the total amount spent in rural areas. Within the OEO some legal, health and other programmes would be located in rural areas. Other government departments would be responsible for food stamps, medicare, and so on. The $3.1 million was used for what the poverty programme called ‘community development’.

24 A full account of these programmes can be found in: OEO, Health Programs (pamphlet), 1971Google Scholar; Langston, J. et al. , Study to Evaluate the OEO Neighbourhood Health Centre Programat Selected Centres, vol. 1, OEO, 1972Google Scholar; OEO, Legal Services (pamphlet), 1971Google Scholar; also the monthly journal, Law in Action; Institute for Research on Poverty, Educational Benefits of Head Start; a Quantitative Analysis, University of Wisconsin, 1968Google Scholar; Crook, W. and Thomas, R., Warriors for the Poor, New York: Morrow & Co., 1969Google Scholar; see also the monthly magazine Vista Volunteer.

25 OEO, Annual Report, 1969–1970, 1971, p. 12.Google Scholar

26 Michael Harrington made this point at a very early stage. See his ‘The politics of poverty’, in Larner, J. and Howe, I. (eds), Poverty, New York: Apollo, 1965.Google Scholar

27 Figures published by the OEO in The Poor in 1970: a Chart book, 1972.Google Scholar

28 Rumsfeld, D., New Directions for Community Action (pamphlet), OEO, 1970, p. 2.Google Scholar

29 OEO, Annual report, 1969–1970, 1971, p. 19.Google Scholar

30 In addition, some CAPs had been prominent in helping to ‘cool’ race riots once they had started.

31 Rumsfeld, D., New Directions for Community Action, op. cit.Google Scholar

32 Quoted in OEO, Digest, 1971, vol. 1, no. 5, p. 2.Google Scholar

33 Rumsfeld, D., New Directions for Community Action, op. cit., p. 6.Google Scholar

34 OEO, OEO News, 22 09 1969, p. 1.Google Scholar

35 For an account of community action conflict tactics which achieved changes in welfare departments, see Piven, and Cloward, , op. cit.Google Scholar

36 Rein, M. and Miller, S., ‘Social action on the installment plan’, in Denzin, N. (ed.), The Values of Social Science, New Brunswick: Transaction Books, 1970, pp. 97–8Google Scholar. Professor Miller also points out that, on the other hand, demonstration projects can be used to legitimise activities which would not have been acceptable as part of a regular on-going programme.

37 OEO, News Summary, 12 08 1969, p. 7.Google Scholar

38 Despite this, the use of conflict strategies by groups funded by the OEO has not entirely disappeared. The present writer certainly found it in Lower East Side, New York. Hopefully, an account will be given in another paper.

39 Table selected from larger table and financial details in OEO Digest, 1972, vol. 2Google Scholar, no. 5, by permission of the Office of Economic Opportunity.

40 OEO, 1971 Category Account (pamphlet), 1972, p. 3.Google Scholar

41 OEO, Digest, 1971, vol. 1, no. 8, p. 2.Google Scholar