[WS:] It almost never is, and when it is, they call it a revolution, no?
Having said that, do you really think that the expansion of social programs under the Great Society label had nothing to do with social unrest, growing opposition to the war, fragging, etc? Back in Europe it was a tried solution to labor unrest pioneered by Bismarck - "give them some social programs but delivered in an organizational form that is not conducive to the spread of socialism" - which does involve some "spreading of the wealth" if you will. Afaik, "great society" was another episode of this policy approach.
Wojtek