CH. 23

The Conservative Resurgence

Ideas of Liberalism

DemocratsBelieved…

Federal gov should play a large role in improving American lives

Social programs should help poor, elderly, unemployed Rights should protect minorities and women Greater gov regulation of industry Cooperate with international organizations

Ideas of Conservatives

RepublicansLarge central gov endangered economic

growth and individual choiceCriticized the liberal solution of “throwing

money” at social problemsWanted to reduce taxes and limit gov

regulation of industryDidn’t want to abandon traditional valuesQuestioned the détente and SALT II treaty

Liberalism Loses its Appeal

Counterculture alienated many AmericansWatergate, oil crises, and the Iran Hostage

crisis weakened the public’s faith in the federal gov

Industries declined and the economy stagnated

The New Right

New Right- the name for the resurgent conservative movement

Disliked… Unfunded mandates-required programs but not paid

for by the gov Welfare programs- rewarded lack of effort Affirmative action

Supported Moral Majority- political organization working to fulfill religious goals

Reagan Wins the Presidency

Wins 1970 electionSupply-side economics (Reaganomics)

If taxes are reduced, people will work more and have more money to spend causing the economy to grow

Economic Recovery Act of 1981 reduced taxes by 25% over 3 years

Deregulation Removal of government control over industry Airline, telecommunications, banking

Despite policies recession hit and unemployment grew

Tear Down This Wall

June 12, 1987Brandenburg Gate, West BerlinReagan’s speech acknowledged the new

Soviet leader Gorbachev’s efforts at reform in the Soviet Union

But not satisfiedChallenged Gorbachev to tear down the

Berlin Wall and show a real commitment at reform

Formally torn down in 1990

Iran-Contra Scandal

1985US sold weapons to Iran in exchange for Iran’s

promise to pressure terrorist groups in Lebanon to release some American hostages Didn’t work Contradicted the US policy of refusing to negotiate with

terrorists Money from the sales was used to fund the Contras in

Nicaragua Sending funds to the Contras was banned 2 years earlier

News of the sandal came out in 1986 Reagan accepted responsibility Several administration officials and top aid, Oliver North, were

convicted, but many convictions were later overturned

The End of the Cold War

Reagan supported a massive US military buildup

Reagan wanted to weaken the Soviet Union by supporting anticommunist rebellions

US funded and trained anti-Soviet rebels in Afghanistan 1988- Soviet forces began to withdraw from

AfghanistanUS feared the Sandinista gov in Nicaragua

provided the Soviets with a “safe house” US backed the Contras, anticommunist

counterrevolutionaries

1989- George H.W. Bush becomes president

Fall of Communism

Fall of the Berlin Wall symbolized the end of communism in Europe

1991- communist party lost powerSoviet Union separated into 15 independent

republics

The Persian Gulf War

Causes….Aug. 1990- Iraq invaded KuwaitSaddam Hussein, Iraq’s leader, wanted to

take over Kuwait’s oil deposits and would control 20% of oil produced in the world

US didn’t want Hussein to seek to gain control of Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves

Pres. Bush worked to build an international coalition and backed a UN resolution demanding Iraqi troops withdraw

Operation Desert Storm

700,000 American, British, French, Egyptian, and Saudi Arabian troops assembled in Saudi Arabia

Bush hoped military presence would convince Hussein to withdraw

Bush received authority from Congress to use force if necessary

Operation Desert Storm American-led attack on Iraqi forces Jan. 1991

Operation Desert Storm cont’d

General Colin Powell developed and executed a strategy 5 weeks of aerial bombardment on Iraqi forces Iraq launched missiles on coalition forces and Israel

(did little damage) Coalition troops stormed into Kuwait Iraqi troops fled and surrendered

War ended 5 days later when Iraq agreed to a cease-fire

Hussein and his regime survived the war