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Revival of Conservatism: Reagan's Era (1980-1992)

Explore the rise of conservatism in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan's presidency, touching on key policies, economic changes, social issues, and global events that shaped this era in U.S. history.

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Revival of Conservatism: Reagan's Era (1980-1992)

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  1. Chapter 28 Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992

  2. I. A New Conservative Coalition The End of the New Deal Coalition • Splinter of black, urban ethnic, and white working class voters • Economy changes working class politics Growth of the Religious Right • Growth of “born again” fundamentalists in 70s • Jerry Falwell turns this into “Moral Majority Movement

  3. I. A New Conservative Coalition (cont’d.) • Economic Conservatives: • pro-business policies • Activist U.S. Chamber of Commerce • deregulation, corporation/wealthy tax cuts • Reagan taps into tax revolt of 1970s: • gains support of white “Reagan Democrats”

  4. p841

  5. I. A New Conservative Coalition (cont’d.) Election of 1980 • Wins 51% of vote • Begins era of Republican rule (1981 to ‘93)

  6. II. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda • Reagan former New Deal Democrat, SAG leader, B-actor, GE spokesperson, CA governor • Harsh rhetoric, pragmatic politics • Rejects liberalism: • USG active in economy and social welfare • Discounts ability of USG to solve poverty

  7. Figure 28-1 p844

  8. II. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda (cont’d.) Attacks on Social Welfare Programs • Taps white backlash (“welfare queen” story) • Cuts $25 billion from AFDC/ food stamps, ’81 • Faces resistance to cuts in: • Social Security and Medicare • because it benefits all Americans • To spur corporate profits, weaken: • environmental/health/safety regulations

  9. II. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda (cont’d.) Pro-Business Policies and the Environment • Advocated Deregulation • “Sagebrush Rebellion” in the West Attacks on Organized Labor • Unions suffer because: • Reagan supports management over labor • deindustrialization weakens unions

  10. II. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda (cont’d.) The New Right • In 1980, campaign on “family values”: • supports school prayer • opposes legal abortions • Makes judiciary more conservative: • Court allows abortion restrictions

  11. III. “Reaganomics” Supply-Side Economics • tax cuts for corporations and rich • will stimulate growth by: • more investment/businesses/jobs • economic growth will balance budget

  12. III. “Reaganomics” (cont’d.) Supply Side Economics • Massive tax cut ($750 billion): • “trickle down” theory • Greatly expand defense spending • Result = huge deficits • Triple national debt to $2.9 trillion • 1992: budget deficit = 5 times 1980 amount

  13. III. “Reaganomics” (cont’d.) “Morning in America” • Reelection helped by: • economic growth by 1984 • drop in unemployment • http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1984 Deregulation • Reagan vastly expands deregulation: • cuts SEC enforcement and regulation of Savings and Loans • result = wave of risky investments/ fraud • corruption in Savings and Loans cost taxpayers ½ trillion

  14. p845

  15. III. “Reaganomics” (cont’d.) The Rich Get Richer • richest 1% gain 77% • bottom 40% get poorer • Massive increase in CEO salaries • Middle-class incomes stagnant • 1990: top 20% control 80% of wealth • Reagan increases tax rates for poor by 16%

  16. Figure 28-2 p847

  17. IV. Reagan and the World Soviet-American Tension • A traditional Cold Warrior: • “evil empire” source of problems • rejects détente and • Largest peacetime buildup: • double military budget (1980 to 1985) • Spend billions more on SDI (1983): • assume build up and SDI will intimidate USSR

  18. IV. Reagan and the World (cont’d.) Reagan Doctrine • View 3rd World via Cold War lens • Escalate aid to Mujahidin in Afghanistan • El Salvador: • rebels challenge • military government and its death squads • Reagan send $6 billion to government

  19. IV. Reagan and the World (cont’d.) Contra War in Nicaragua • Sandinistas (leftist nationalists): • topple pro-US dictator / want to reduce US influence in Nicaragua • Reagan’s CIA form contras in 1981 • Destructive civil war develop • https://screen.yahoo.com/president-reagan-mastermind-000000075.html

  20. IV. Reagan and the World (cont’d.) Iran Contra Scandal • Breaks, 1986: • 1984, Congress bans funding to contras • Reagan authorizes secret funding from others • illegal weapon sales to Iran also fund contras • destroys documents • lies to Congress • reduces Reagan’s popularity • Bush pardons those convicted, 1992

  21. IV. Reagan and the World (cont’d.) U.S. Interests in the Middle East • Oil/ Israel/ blocking USSR • Growing Islamic fundamentalism • Israeli-PLO violence: • undermines peace hopes • Israel invade Lebanon (1982): • Reagan sends Marines in • withdraws after 1983 bombing Terrorism • Anti-Israel and anti-USA terrorism increase • Palestinian intifada starts, 1987

  22. IV. Reagan and the World (cont’d.) Perestroika and Glasnost • Soviet reforms: economic restructuring & openness • 1987 INF Treaty bans some European missiles • Gorbachev act unilaterally to: • reduce military • withdraw from Afghanistan

  23. p851

  24. V. American Society in the 1980s “Culture Wars” • Social divisions deepen • Fundamentalist Christianity grow • Some enter politics: • Falwell (Moral Majority, 1979) • base society and public ed on “God’s law” • challenge teaching of evolution (Scopes Trial…)

  25. Figure 28-3 p853

  26. p853

  27. p854

  28. V. American Society in the 1980s (cont’d.) The AIDS Epidemic • AIDS partly byproduct of drug crisis • USG responds slowly New Immigrants from Asia • 1970–90: more than 13 million immigrants • Big increase in Asian immigration • 3 times to 3% of population by 1990

  29. p855

  30. VI. The End of the Cold War and Global Disorder George Herbert Walker Bush • Republican attack ads dominate campaign • Bush defeat Dukakis with 53% of vote • Focus on foreign policy Pro-Democracy Movement • Tiananmen Square (1989): • China slaughter pro-democracy protesters • South Africa ends apartheid: • because of sanctions and internal unrest • Mandela elected as first black president (1994)

  31. p857

  32. p858

  33. VI. The End of the Cold War and Global Disorder (cont’d.) Collapse of Soviet Power • Gorbachev = key figure: • set off changes that end Cold War • no longer prop up unpopular governments • Communist governments collapse in Eastern Europe • East Germans topple government, 1989 • Germanys unite, 1990 • USSR disintegrates (1991) into Russia, etc. • Gorbachev loses power

  34. VI. The End of the Cold War and Global Disorder (cont’d.) Costs of Victory • Arms race and foreign interventions: • cost trillions • starve domestic needs (infrastructure, ed) • START I and II (’91,‘93) = big cuts in ICBMs • Under Bush, no“peace dividend”: • high defense budgets • overseas interventions • invade Panama (1989) • topple former ally Noriega over drug trade

  35. VI. The End of the Cold War and Global Disorder (cont’d.) Saddam Hussein’s Gamble • Anti-Iranian ally in 1980s • Invade Kuwait (1990) • Threaten Saudi Arabia Operation Desert Storm • Bush builds coalition to oust Iraq from Kuwait • 1991 Desert Storm • Hussein remains in power • USA and UN impose limits on his power: • arms and economic embargoes • “no-fly” zones in Iraq

  36. p860

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