ronald reagan and the 1980’s. election of 1980 reagan vs carter –reagan wins 44-35 mil. why does...
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Ronald Reagan and the 1980’s
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Election of 1980• Reagan vs Carter
– Reagan wins 44-35 mil.• Why does Reagan
win?– Seen as “return to
earlier time.”• Vietnam / Watergate• Economic woes• Communism was
spreading.– Familiarity
• “The Great Communicator”
– Iran Hostage Crisis• Iran’s Ayatollah
Khomeini holds 66 Americans hostage
– Carter fails to get them released.
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Why Was Reagan So Popular?
• http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/videos/the-great-communicator#the-great-communicator
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w6KPkv0vT8
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The “Reagan Revolution”
• “Reagan Revolution”– Implements genuinely
conservative policies• First time since President
Herbert Hoover• Rebirth of Republican
Party
– Aspects• Restricted/dismantled
many New Deal/Great Society programs
• Low taxes• Fighting the Cold War
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Economy of the 1980s• “Reaganomics”
– Reducing taxes on wealthy, businesses
• “Supply-side” or “trickle-down” economics
– Pros? Cons?
• De-regulation– Wall Street
• Led to rise of the “Yuppies”
– Young Urban Professionals
– End of social programs• Poverty in urban ghettos
grows• Drugs = “Crack”
– Inner-city gangs• Gap between rich and poor
grows!
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Reaganomics – Pros and Cons
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Fighting the “Evil Empire”• Continued support of
Taliban (Mujahedeen) in Afghanistan.
• Invasion of Grenada (1981)– Take out Marxist pro-Castro
government.• Containment?• Truman Doctrine?
• Defense Spending– Can Soviets keep pace?– SDI
• Strategic Defense Initiative– “Star Wars”
• 4 Summit Meetings with Gorbachev– Discussed arms reduction
• “The Wall” speech– June 12th, 1987
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Source: Center for Defense Information 2004 Yearbook
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Source: U.S. Office of Management and Budget
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Reagan Legacy• Stated commitment to
reducing size of government.– Did not dramatically
reduce bureaucracy• Restored national pride
– Americans feel confident for first time since Kennedy
– End of the American “Malaise”
• Growing liberal-conservative divide– Reagan seen as
prototypical conservative today
• Renewed the Cold War.– End to “Détente”– IS REAGAN
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION?
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Reagan Videos
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErqdXYeudn8
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooUR_QDXE5g&feature=related
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Social Aspects of the 1980s• Technology
– Personal Computers– Personal gaming systems– Personal music players
• “Decade of Decadence”– Clothing styles– Changes in music
• Rap• Hip Hop• Pop• “Heavy Metal”
• Youth / Teenage culture– MTV: 1981
• AIDS Epidemic– Over 100,000 dead by end
of 80’s.
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The Fall of the Soviet UnionBy 1980, the USSR was in very poor
economic and social condition, but is Ronald Reagan the reason why the Soviet Union fell?
– Perestroika• USSR begins
“restructuring” economically
– Glasnost• USSR begins embracing
free speech
– 1990 – Berlin Wall falls– 1991 – USSR falls
apart
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Iran-Contra• Deal struck to exchange weapons
for American hostages held by Iranian terrorists (Hezbollah) in Lebanon.– Positives?
• American prisoners released.– Negatives?
• Violated embargo with Iran• Negotiating with terrorists?
• Money made from sale of weapons used to fund anti-Communist forces in Nicaragua (Contras)
• At first, Reagan denied the operation.– Later defended the “good intentions”
of the actions.– Never directly connected to Reagan.
• Then vice-president Bush will issue six pardons during his presidency.
• Reagan's image suffered as a result of Iran-Contra.– Popularity ultimately rebounded.
• Left office with the highest approval rating of any president since Franklin Roosevelt.