Chapter 32

Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992Conservatism Revived, 1980–1992

Ch. 32: Conservatism Revived, 1981–1993

Time of change in race/ethnicity: most new immigrants = people of color

Gap between rich and poor widen Reagan supported by religious New Right Implement political/economic

conservatism: result = massive deficits

Cold War tensions accelerate, then decline

USA remain active as sole superpower esp. Middle East

Ronald Reagan

1980-1988

Reagan

Former New Deal Democrat turned conservative Republican – former Hollywood actor.

Support came from the New Right, or Moral Majority – Fundamentalist Christians.

Fig. 32-CO, p. 886

I. Conservative Resurgence

1970s dispirit many: permit challenges to liberalism

By mid-1960s, Reagan: leader in emerging conservative movement

Claim Great Society and “big government”: = threats to liberty

1980 campaign: unite different types of conservatives

II. The New Conservative Coalition

Political conservatives: more defense spending roll back New Deal/Great Society

Economic conservatives: pro-business policies deregulation, corporation/wealthy tax cuts

Reagan tap into tax revolt of 1970s: gain support of white “Reagan Democrats”

Social conservatives = religious New Right: restore “God’s America”/“family values”

III. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda

Win 51% of vote Begin era of Republican rule (1981 to ‘93) Set overall agenda Not active on daily issues Effective communicator with simple stories Reject liberalism:

USG active in economy and social welfare Discount ability of USG to solve poverty Tap white backlash (“welfare queen” story)

III. Reagan’s Conservative Agenda (cont.)

Cut $25 billion from AFDC/ food stamps, ’81

Face resistance to cuts in: Social Security and Medicare because benefit all Americans

To spur corporate profits, weaken: environmental/health/safety regulations

Use USG to aid corporations: Watt allow access to USG lands reenergize environmental protest

p. 891

IV. Organized Labor;The New Right

Unions suffer because: Reagan support management over labor deindustrialization weaken unions

In 1980, campaign on “family values”: support school prayer oppose legal abortions

Make judiciary more conservative: Court allow abortion restrictions (Webster,

‘89)

V. “Reaganomics”

Simple answer to complex problem: claim liberal policies cause

stagflation Embrace “supply-side” economics:

tax cuts for corporations and rich will stimulate growth by more investment/businesses/jobs economic growth will balance budget

Massive tax cut ($750 billion): “trickle down” theory

V. “Reaganomics” (cont.)

Greatly expand defense spending Result = huge deficits Triple national debt to $2.9 trillion 1992: budget deficit = 5 times 1980

amount Transform USA (Figure 32.1):

world’s largest creditor to largest debtor

Reagan increased defense spending but failed to win huge cuts in government spending in other areas. This caused the federal deficit, or the shortfall

between the amount of money spent and the amount of money taken in by the government, to skyrocket from about $79 billion in 1981 to more than $221 billion in 1986.

The national debt, the amount of money the federal government owes to owners of government bonds.

Fig. 32-1, p. 894

p. 895

VI. Harsh Medicine for Inflation

Fed hike interest rates to 21.5%: slow economy to halt inflation

In recession of 1981–82, unemployment: highest level (10.8%) since 1940

Heavy industry and agriculture in shambles

Poverty increase By 1982, inflation drop:

Fed action OPEC increase production to lower prices

VII. 1984 Election; Deregulation

Reelection helped by: economic growth by 1984 drop in unemployment

Mondale worry about deficits and poverty Reagan vastly expand deregulation:

cut SEC enforcement and regulation of Savings and Loans

result = wave of risky investments/ fraud corruption in Savings and Loans cost taxpayers ½

trillion Junk bonds accelerate “merger mania” Economy grow, but:

many layoffs and big debt

VIII. The Rich Get Richer

Bigger gap between rich and poor Figure 32.2:

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 increase tax rates for poor by

16%

Fig. 32-2, p. 896

IX. Reagan and the World;Soviet-American Tension

Promise more vigorous Cold War

A traditional Cold Warrior: “evil empire” source of problems USA can shape world reject détente and human rights

focus of 1970s Largest peacetime buildup:

double military budget (1980 to 1985)

Spend billions more on SDI (1983): assume build up and SDI will

intimidate USSR

REAGAN BUILDS UP THE U.S. MILITARY

X. Reagan Doctrine (1985) View 3rd World via Cold War lens Open help to anti-communist fighters to

topple governments Escalate aid to Mujahidin in Afghanistan El Salvador:

rebels challenge military government and its death squads Reagan send $6 billion to government civil war last till 1992

Map 32-1, p. 898

XI. Contra War in Nicaragua

Sandinistas (leftist nationalists): topple pro-US dictator Somoza (1979) want to reduce US influence in Nicaragua

Reagan’s CIA form contras in 1981 Destructive civil war develop (30,000 die) Reagan see Central America via Cold War Critics downplay communist threat:

fear Vietnam repeat Central American presidents end war (‘90)

XII. Iran-Contra Scandal;South Africa

Breaks, 1986: 1984, Congress ban funding to contras Reagan authorize secret funding from others illegal weapon sales to Iran also fund contras destroy documents lie to Congress reduce Reagan’s popularity Bush pardon those convicted, 1992

Public pressure and Congress force Reagan: accept sanctions on South Africa (1986)

XIII. US Interests in the Middle East

Oil/ Israel/ blocking USSR Growing Islamic fundamentalism Israeli-PLO violence:

undermine peace hopes Israel invade Lebanon (1982):

Reagan send Marines in withdraw after 1983 bombing

Anti-Israel and anti-USA terrorism increase

Palestinian intifada start, 1987

p. 899

XIII. Trouble Persists in the Middle East During the 1980’s, the US often clashed with Libya.

Led by Muammar al-Qaddafi, whom Reagan described as “the mad dog of the Middle East,” Libya supported terrorist groups.

After a bombing of a Berlin nightclub, which Reagan blamed on Qaddafi, US warplanes bombed Libya, killing one of Qaddafi’s daughters.

Even though Qaddafi was unharmed, his criticism of the US dwindled.

XIV. Gorbachev, post-1985 Reformers want to improve

economy: need to cut military spending

Reagan respond (Iran-Contra scandal)

Meetings reduce tension 1987 INF Treaty:

ban some European missiles Gorbachev act unilaterally to:

reduce military withdraw from Afghanistan

XVI. “Culture Wars”

Religious Right spark opposition: People for the American Way (1982) separation of church and state religious freedom stress tolerance and diversity

Women’s Rights Movement open new opportunities for women in ed and economy

New Right oppose feminism: patriarchal families block ERA

XV. A Polarized People, 1980s; Religious Right

Social divisions deepen Fundamentalist Christianity grow Some enter politics:

Falwell (Moral Majority, 1979) fight secularism base society and public ed on “God’s law” challenge teaching of evolution

p. 902

XVII. The New Inequality

Suburban whites/urban people of color gap

Most poor white People of color = disproportionate share Figure 32.3 on poverty (1980):

10% of whites 26% of Hispanics 33% of blacks

Factors: deindustrialization racism

Fig. 32-3, p. 904

XVIII. Social Crises in American Cities

Child poverty grow: esp. single-parent homes 1990: 25% of children in homes without

fathers almost 50% of black children poor (1992)

Increasing inequality link with growing: crime drug abuse homelessness

AIDS partly byproduct of drug crisis: USG respond slowly

XIX. New Immigrants from Asia

1970–90: more than 13 million immigrants Big increase in Asian immigration 3 times to 3% of population by 1990 Shift to South and Southeast Asia Many skilled (Koreans and Indians) Others unskilled (work in textiles)

XX. Growing Latino Population

Fastest growing minority (1970–90): immigration high birth rate 1990: 9% of population

Mexican Americans in southwest Caribbean Hispanics on East Coast Many legal and illegal immigrants

because of: poverty, civil war, repression Luisa Orellana

Ethnic/ racial/ cultural diversity grow

XX. Growing Latino Population (cont.)

So many plus economic change cause: tension/violence toward newcomers call for restriction

Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986): seek to reduce illegal immigration fine those who hire undocumented aliens amnesty to illegal immigrants who arrive

before 1982

p. 906

XXI. New Ways of Life

New technologies/distributions “Technoburbs” form because of early

computers Size and cost of homes increase Walmart sales skyrocket More eat out Obesity increase Cable and VCRs change entertainment:

movie attendance drop

XXII. Election of 1988; Pro-Democracy Movements

Republican attack ads dominate campaign Bush defeat Dukakis with 53% of vote Focus on foreign policy Tiananmen Square (1989):

China slaughter pro-democracy protesters South Africa end apartheid:

because of sanctions and internal unrest Mandela elected first black president (1994)

XXIII. Collapse of Soviet Power

Gorbachev = key figure: set off changes that end Cold War (Map 32.2) no longer prop up unpopular governments Communist governments collapse in Eastern

Europe East Germans topple government, 1989 Germanys unite, 1990 USSR disintegrate (1991) into Russia, etc. Gorbachev lose power

Free-market economies: more successful than Soviet-style economies

Perestroika – restructure the economy and government.

Glasnost - is the policy of openness and transparency in the activities of all government

institutions in the Soviet Union

XXIII. Communism Ends in Eastern Europe

The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolized the end of communism in Europe.

In November of 1989, following the fall of East Germany’s communist government, East German authorities opened the wall’s gates .

Within a year, East and West Germany would reunite as one single nation.

Communists also lost power in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania in 1989; Albania in 1990; and in Yugoslavia in 1991.

Map 32-2, p. 909

p. 908

XXIV. Costs of Victory; Arms Control; Intervention

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

p. 901

XXV. Saddam Hussein’s Gamble

Anti-Iranian ally in 1980s Invade Kuwait (1990) Threaten Saudi Arabia Bush:

build coalition to oust Iraq from Kuwait 1991 Desert Storm

Hussein remain in power USA and UN impose limits on his power:

arms and economic embargoes “no-fly” zones in Iraq

p. 910

XXVI. Domestic Problems

Big debt/deficits contribute to recession Foreign competition increase Unemployment reach 8% Like Reagan, Bush want:

conservatives on Court Thomas (1991) create furor Americans debate sex harassment charges

These problems and Bush’s failure to respond to recession undermine his presidency

p. 913

Summary: Discuss Links to the World and Legacy

CNN as new link? 24-hour news network:

report on key events around globe viewers around globe

Disabilities Act (1990) as legacy? Build on civil rights movement Allow greater participation Many changes (e.g., sidewalks) Still debate on implementation

p. 903

p. 911