The Other America

Michael Harrington's influential book, The Other America (1962), brought widespread attention to the issue of poverty in the United States. Harrington argued that despite the prevailing belief that the New Deal had largely eradicated poverty, approximately 50 million Americans remained in deep poverty. He identified a "culture of poverty" among these disenfranchised individuals, characterized by a decay in community and family support structures and a lack of traditional values like thrift and self-support.1

Harrington contended that capitalist society failed to provide for these individuals and advocated for a comprehensive "war on poverty" through federal legislation in areas such as housing, education, and healthcare. His work significantly influenced President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society social reform program and the subsequent War on Poverty initiatives, which aimed to address poverty through various federal programs and agencies.12