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Classical liberalism and modern conservatism
Conservatism in 1960s to 1980s
Classical liberalism and modern conservatism
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The Conservatives Collation really cared about protecting the American people, so one of their goals was to strengthen the national defense. One of the Conservative Collation was to lower taxes which would Americans save money. Overall, these ideals from the worked Conservative Collation as Republican candidate Ronald Reagan became president in 1980. 3.“How did the leaders of the conservative movement of the 1980s want to change government?
1) Did the Ford and Carter presidencies fail to repair the damage done to the reputation of the presidency by the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation? If so, why not? This was driven by economic distress, social issues, desire for traditional values, unemployment, high inflation, and an energy crisis. The election of Reagan in 1980 helped this conservative surge. 2) Why did the American electorate become increasingly conservative during the 1970s?
This is due to an economic policy created by Ronald Raegan called Reaganomics which is also further approved by citizens as shown in the Letter to Nelson Rockfeller, a Republican governor of New York in 1971 (Document 3). In this letter, it clearly addresses the hardships of paying taxes and welfare cheats. The Reaganomics policy emphasized tax cuts, deregulation, and a reduced role for government in the economy which all goes back to the idea of conservatism and their beliefs of limited government control. In addition to the economic challenges, the United States was also experiencing propaganda in the media expressing the need for conservative values. One of the popular networks that expressed the topic of conservatism was founded by Jerry Falwell (Moral Majority) and had a channel named Listen America!
During the late 1960s to 1980, conservatism in America showed up because people were looking for stability in a changing world. Richard Nixon, who became president in 1968, wanted to bring order and safety, which many people liked. He also had a plan called the Southern Strategy to get more votes from white people in the South. This plan changed how elections worked. In the 1970s, a group called the Religious Right became more active, focusing on things like religion and abortion.
New conservatism rose to prominence in the United States due to a pushback against big government, a negative reaction to social progressivism, and a perception of declining American strength at home and abroad. Starting with FDR’s New Deal, the American government began to intervene more and more in the economic and social realms. The New Deal programs were followed by the establishment of sweeping social welfare programs, such as Medicare and Social Security. As pointed out by one time Republican presidential hopeful Barry Goldwater in a speech to his fellow conservationists, “government is engaged in activities in which it has no legitimate business” (Doc 1). He spoke for many when he enumerated that the rise of big government was pernicious
“The Progressive movement of 1901 to 1971 was a triumph of conservatism rather than a victory for liberalism,” is a false statement implying that the Progressive movement was not liberal win when it very much was. The progressive movement allowed for all types of government reforms and policies that are all very liberal in a sense. With the Progressives, the laissez-faire government that allowed for many businesses to run free will no longer exist and regulations of all kinds of business will be put into place. The three presidents to reside in the White House during this era, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson, all shared at least one point of view with liberals. The progressive era is the era of the liberals.
From the mid-60s and until the 70s, more liberal new laws were passed than any other period since FDR’s liberalism wave. However, liberalism was under attack from two directions. In one hand, civil rights activists were impatient and unsatisfied with civil rights progress. These young activists were not only disapproving the “slow” civil right progress or the war in Vietnam, but they were also refusing anything linked in the cold war liberalism.
Politically, the era witnessed the rise of conservative ideologies and the election of President Ronald Reagan, who implemented policies focused on deregulation and tax cuts. These policies, known as Reaganomics, aimed to stimulate economic growth and reduce government intervention. Socially, the 1980s brought about cultural shifts, such as the emergence of MTV and the popularization of consumerism, as well as significant advancements in technology, including the widespread adoption of personal computers. Economically, the decade experienced a period of rapid growth and prosperity, fueled by technological innovations and an emphasis on entrepreneurship. However, it also saw a growing wealth gap and the onset of the savings and loan crisis, which marked the end of the economic boom.
These policies encouraged entrepreneurship, reduced government spending, and cut federal taxes to twenty-five percent. After a period of turmoil, “Reaganomics” improved the economy and restored America to its “rightful place in the world.” Once more, Americans
The Roaring 20s was a time for many changes in America. The 1920s brought about changes stemming from both liberal movements and conservative movements. Liberal changes brought to the public more sports role models which inspired and new women, or flappers, who strived for equality. Conservative changes increased laws on vice, ideas of racism, and feelings of nativism. This makes the 1920s both a liberal and conservative decade.
America underwent a profound moral and political polarization in the wake of World War II, which ultimately gave birth to the rise of social conservatism. This conservatism stood for a more limited government concerning domestic and social affairs at home and a more aggressive government in foreign affairs, primarily concerned with squelching the ever-felt threat of communism, (Story and Laurie, 2). Adherents to this newly-hailed political identity had developed a distaste for government interference and instead now opted for use of the free market as a medium to sustain economic growth, a preference which rejected the preexisting New Deal reforms of the 1930s, which produced a handful of federal agencies that regulated business enterprises,
Throughout the Progressive Era, there were many thoughts and ideas on ways that the federal government could change how the system worked. Almost everyone agreed change was necessary within the government to further regulate business growth, ensure political and economic rights, and the way that the federal government should address social problems. That said, during this time the country was also divided regarding how to implement such changes. Looking back, all Americans can be placed in one of two groups, known as either conservatives and radicals, but during this time period there were big controversial differences between two specific groups; the conservatives and the radicals. This was a time period of major advancement in technology
The rise of conservatism between the 1960s and 1980s in the United States can be attributed to a multitude of factors, outlined here are several. Firstly, many conservative Americans were disturbed by the societal trends and movements of the 1960s, including the civil rights movement, anti-war protests, and the counterculture against traditional authority from the youth. These factors created a sense of unease among many Americans, particularly those who identified with traditional values and institutions. The response from this demographic was naturally to double down on these beliefs. (American Yawp: Chapter 29 Section II paragraph 2)
The Rise of Ronald Reagan and Republican Conservatism Conservatism and liberalism are two of the most dominant political philosophies and ideologies during the post-Enlightenment era (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). As an ideology, conservatism served as a blueprint in the society which promoted the idea of retaining traditional social institutions, beliefs, cultures and discourage social changes. Although the United States of America during the present day promotes liberalism, there was one portion of the country’s history that conservatism was promoted due to several factors. This paper examines the very factors which gave rise to conservatism embodied in the candidacy of Ronald Reagan.
A conservative at this time would have favored tradition and critical proposals for radical social change. They believed that the government should provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Industrialization declined the popularity of conservatism in the 19th century because it strengthened the middle class and created a new industrial working class. Conservatives had to establish majorities in parliament, so they could hold power. Conservatism attempted to preserve the hierarchy of order and valued tradition over
