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The Conservative Ascendancy, 1974 - 1991
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THE CONSERVATIVE ASCENDANCY, 1974 - 1991
I. THE OVEREXTENDED SOCIETY
• Americans experienced what economist referred to as “stagflation” marked by
rising unemployment, rising commodity prices, and low economic growth.
a) A Troubled economy
• In 1973, there were rationing program in several states owing toe doubling of
gases price from 40-70%.
• Over reliance on Middle East Oil triggered the oil crisis with the condition
worsening in 1973 when OPEC imposed embargo on Israel allies including US
• President Nixon introduces the “energy czar” targeting energy consumption in
transport and general consumption. The Department of Energy was created in
1977.
• Economic crisis linked to failure by the US manufacturing sector with Asian
manufacturers offering cheap imports.
• African American gains more rights through Title VII of the Civil Right Act.
b) Sunbelt/snowbelt communities
• Due to increased federal funds, there was increased population in the Sunbelt in
1970s with population doubling to 118 million four decades
• Dramatic change in the south reversed decades of migration among African
America. Manufacturing and agribusiness flourished. California and Texas
become rose in popularity behind New York
c) “Lean Years Presidents”: Ford and Carter
• Americans experienced lean years economically and socially
• The world war II budge and the cold war overextended American budgets leading
to low economic performance
d) The New Urban Politics
• There was increased growth of urban poverty.
• The 1965 Moynihan Report highlighted the growing urban problem
• Under-income blacks blamed for their impoverishment
e) The endangerment Environment
• The cold war era had ushered in another warfare environment
• The Vietnam War strained American economy
• Low economic performance signaled social crisis
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THE NEW CONSERVATISM
The New Right
There was increased civil rights movement in 1965
Equality between races became the song of the day
Anti-Era, Antiabortion
After the civil rights movement, the new anti-abortion era ushered in.
Marked the increased realization of individual right
“The Me Decade”
As described by Tom Wolfe in his 1976 Novel, Americas were becoming more
obsessed with personal matters including well being and emotional security just
The Conservative Ascendancy, 1974 - 1991
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after there were many years of political turmoil of the 1960s. Millions of middle
class became obsess with healthy food and diets.
There was increased human potential movement like Erhard Seminars Training
III. ADJUSTING TO A NEW WORLD
a) A thaw in the cold war
• In mid 1970s Presidents Ford and Carter agreed that America had incurred a lot
in the Vietnam War. The defeat of American in Vietnam War decreases its
superpower status in the world.
• US and Soviet Union jointly sighed Strategy Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 1)
which was later followed by 1974 SALT II
b) Foreign Policy and “Moral Principles”
• President Carter reaffirms complete commitment to human rights. U.S
diplomats speak out against South Africa apartheid and oppressive military
regime in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and others.
• Carter intervenes in CIA intervention in foreign government affairs insist that
CIA should operate within the stipulated law. He intervenes in middle east and
oversee signing of peace treaty between Egypt and Israel
• He paves way for negotiation that saw Panama assume the control of the
Panama Canal zone
c) (Mis) Handling the unexpected
• Carter allows the US to resume the cold war policies, advised by Secretary of
State Cyrus Vance and national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski who gave
contradictory advice
• Brutal Nicaragua Dictator Anastasios Somoza greatly supported by US is
overthrown
• In African Affairs, Carter fires Young for meeting with PLO and Carter fails to
negotiate with South African apartheid regime
• The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan in 1979. In the Monroe doctrine and the
Carter Doctrine assert the wish of America to continue protecting its interest in
the Persian Gulf to counter the Soviet Union.
d) The Iran Hostage Crisis
• November 4 1979, Iranian fundamentalist hold US Embassy employee hostage
for 444 days after seizing US embassy in Tehran.
• Cyrus Vance resigns from office after political fall out with President Carter
disagreeing on the use of negotiation or peace to rescue Americans, the first
secretary of state to resign for 65 years. Carter’s endorsed military action fails.
e) The 1980 election
• In 1979, rising inflation signify failure of Carters economic recovery program.
After calling a staff retreat, Carter publicly calls for the nation to change its
attitude asserting that the nation was suffering from crisis of confidence
• In the election The Republican triumphs with Reagan becoming the president
IV. REGAN REVOLUTION
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Regan reshaped the US political landscape reaffirming conservative principles
and supporting women’s rights and civil rights
a) The Great communicator
• Born in 1911, Regan moved to Hollywood in 1937 starting an acting career
which opened him to politics
• He clinched California Governor’s seat in 1966 and was reelected in 1970
• He clinched the Presidential office in 1981 and as predicted by many people, he
ushered in a new Regan Revolution
b) Reaganomics
• The economy recovery program was based on growth and productivity which
cam with Reaganomic strategy based on the supply side of the economy theory,
a shift from the Keynesians economics
• Regan secures two legislations resulting to tax cuts. Omnibus Reconciliation
Act passed in 1981 cuts federal spending which affected social programs
• Reagnomiscs increased military spending to restore United States defense
• The financial sector including Wall Street were highly deregulated to operate in
a free atmosphere
c) The election of 1984
• Americans express the need to enter nuclear freeze with the Soviet Union and
demonstrates calling for end of nuclear deployment.
• Democrats elect Walter Mondale to run against Regan with Geraldine Ferraro of
New York as the running mate the first women in American politics
• Regan recaptures the seat with a 59% win in popular vote
d) Recession, Recovery, Fiscal Crisis
• 1n 1982, the worst recession resulted in 11% rate of unemployment but by 1983,
the economy has recovered with unemployment dropping to 8% an inflation
below 5%
• Dow Jones moved from 776 points in 1982 to 2,772 in 1987 but on the black
Monday, the stock market collapsed
• The nations budge tripled to $2.7 trillion from $194 billion
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V. BEST OF TIMES, WORST OF TIMES
a) The Celebration of wealth
• There was increased accumulation of wealth in the 1980s with 1% of the
American household holding on to 37% of the private wealth.
• In 1980 the top 5% families in the US took home 15.3% of the nation’s total
income which increased to 17.6% in 1992
• Regan saw an American where someone can always get rich taking home the
theme of money, status and power. It saw the rise of “Yuppies” embracing a
popular culture of obsession with rich and living well
• Tie-ins rose in films, television shows, and all mass media with a growing
concentration on ownership giving rise to a new media forms like USA Today,
CCN, and others
b) A Two-Tiered society
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The economic gains and losses since 1960s to Reagan reign had increase the
gap between poor and rich with the level of poverty rising rapidly
• by1993, about 33% of African Americans and 29% of Hispanics lived in
poverty with unemployment well over 40% among these races in central cities
c) The feminization of poverty
• Women in employment earned less that could support their living with majority
of men defaulting child support system after a divorce.
• By 1970 the poor family headed by women rose to about 70% with increased
rise in teenage pregnancy stimulating the trend
d) Epidemics: Drugs, Aids, Homelessness
• The coming of “Crack” which was highly addictive cocaine in smoke form led
to proliferation of drugs to the urban poor
• Crack trade spawned very fast running millions of lives and increasing the rate
of crime
• By 1980s Americans had identified drugs as the leading nation’s problem with
the Reagan administration declaring war on drugs
• In 1981 AIDS virus was discovered among the homosexuals and y 1990, nearly
160,000 American were infected with the virus
• In 1980s homelessness increased at a fast pace rising to about 25,000 and
350,000 in the 1980s
VI. REAGAN’S FOREIGN POLICY
• Regan championed restoration of America’s leadership in most world affairs
reviving the cold war patriotism
a) The Evil Empire
• In 1980s, Reagan refer to Soviet Union as evil empire
• Reagan administration increased American nuclear strike force bringing in place
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to put in lace space-based ballistic missile
defense. This deteriorated US-Soviet relationship
b) Reagan Doctrine and Central America
• Reagan doctrine related any problem in the world to the intervention of the
Soviet Union
• Reagan administration continued to support corrupt El Salvador regime
• Regan with the help of NSC staff and foreign country contributed $37 million
towards continuation of Contra war in Nicaragua
c) The Iron-Contra Scandal
• The 1987 reveal of Iran-Contra affair made the situation difficult for Reagan in
reference to Middle East political but he associated it with Soviet influence
• There was a failed attempt to kill Gaddafi in the Bombing of Tripoli
• in 1986, Reagan administration enter into negotiation with Iran to supply arms
for Iraq-Iran war in exchange for American hostages held in Lebanon
• Proceeds from the sale of weapons were used to fund Contra war in disregard of
the Boland Amendments
d) The Collapse of Communism
• Political changes in the Soviet Union with the death of Leonid Brezhnev and his
later successor brought the cold war to end.
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Gorbachev assume office in 1985 in Soviet Union ushering in a new generation
which brought about radical reforms of openness and restructuring
• Gorbachev singled arm race as the first step towards achievement of economic
reforms and growth
• Reagan and Gorbachev met for four times and agreed on a treat to end arms race
• Democratic ideals spread in the former Soviet communism block after its
dissolution starting from Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and others.
• The Berlin war was brought down in 1989 signifying the end of the cold war
and re-unification of Germany
• In 1989s, Soviet Union held election since 1917
• In 1991, Gorbachev resigned and recognized the new Commonwealth states
which dealt last blow to the survival of Soviet Union
• President likes the end of cold war top a biblical proportions
VII. CONCLUSION
• Conservatives succeeded in haling and reversing American politics from the
time of Franklin New Deal due to the cold war and Vietnam defeat
• The charismatic leadership of Reagan offered the nation a new turn in its
development
• Conservatives achieved most of their goals economically with increase division
in the society economically and restriction for corporations and investments.
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