The War on Poverty: A Civilian Perspective

Abstract

PRESIDENT Johnson has declared unconditional war on poverty. The strategy of that war appears to have been shaped by an awareness of the interrelatedness of the social, economic, legal, educational, and psychological problems which beset the poor and by a recognition of the necessity to involve all segments of society in a many-pronged attack on these problems. 1 At present, a half-dozen or so pilot projects 2 already in existence have attempted to deal with the problems of poverty by employing this comprehensive approach. If these offer any indication, the war metaphor is more than effective rhetoric. It is an approach which views poverty as posing a series of complex problems in logistics: how to supply the needed food, housing, medical care, education, jobs, and skills to one-fifth of a nation. The need for such a massive movement of social services, facilities, education, guidance, jobs, and *We wish to dedicate this article to the beloved memory of our father, Edmond Cahn.

An evaluation of the Federal Legal Services Program: Evidence from crime rates and property values

“…The Federal Legal Services Program was motivated by an influential journal article by Jean and Edgar Cahn, which called for the "civilian perspective" to be incorporated in the War on Poverty (Cahn & Cahn, 1964). The Cahns'…”

From Conflict Theory to Conflict Methodology: An Emerging Paradigm for Sociology*

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Changes in Family Structure and Welfare Participation Since the 1960s: The Role of Legal Services

“…with the Ford Foundation's Gray Areas program, proposed that university-affiliated neighborhood law firms should provide free civil legal representation and advice in poor communities and incorporate the "civilian perspective" into policy by supplying these communities with "the means with which to represent the felt needs of its members" (Cahn andCahn 1964, p. 1334). In contrast,…”