Examples abound. The Civil War disabled many men and created many widows and orphans, leading to a demand for veterans’ pensions. These pensions created a demand for broader coverage leading ultimately to Social Security. World War II disrupted the lives of millions of men leading to a demand for educational aid under the G. I. Bill. This created the model and the demand for a broader program—student loans. Veterans’ hospitals created the model for socialized medicine. Many of the advocates of the Great Society had fought in World War II and wanted to use the war model to create a War on Poverty. Similarly, many New Dealers had their first experience in central economic planning under World War I and put that experience to work under FDR.[7] War is truly the health of the state domestically as well.
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2016/01/james-ostrowski/progressivisms-victory/