Summary Of The New Right Movement

The New Right movement began in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s because of Barry Goldwater. He encouraged a hands-off government. The public was skeptical at first, but a movement that supported his ideals was soon created. Members of the New Right movement were mostly white, middle class, Christians with a family and steady job. The New Right is broken into Religious Fundamentalism, Political Fundamentalism, and Conspiracy Theory. These three principles are broken into three smaller themes; militant anti-communism, social traditionalism, and economic libertarianism. Religious fundamentalism focuses on ethical issues and the country’s actions. The New Rights movement was carried by the Christian Voice and the Moral Majority, which meant that

The first Red Scare started when Mitchell Palmer led the public in eliminating anarchists or communist sympathizers in the US. This resulted in deporting many immigrants who may or may not have fit into either of these two categories. The second Red Scare in 1950 and was started by Joseph McCarthy against liberal Senators, immigrants, or Americans who were accused of being a communist. These men and women were deported, or put to death. The Moral Majority believed that America was founded as the best country in the world because God supported us more. This fueled the idea that Democracy is Holy and communism is evil. These views gave the Moral Majority the obligation to rid the world of communism. Militant anti-communism exhibited political fundamentalism in physically rejecting collectivism. By deporting any citizens involved with communism, the members of the New Right promoted the thought of safety for the individual. Militant anti-communism grew out of the fears and paranoia of communism. By believing that communists and anarchists would attack America, the public spread fear towards any object, idea, or person associated with it.

Social traditionalism focuses on the conservative principles that should be in society, and responds to the moral decay found in the early 1970’s counterculture. The counterculture promotes the need for changes toward equality, and acceptance of outcasts. The traditional

The Moral Majority believed in a free market, the defense of private property, and free trade. Political fundamentalism aids in supporting the importance of individualism. Each business was protected from overbearing organizations, and it defended the American Dream of the self-made man who could reach success through hard work. Paranoia of the government led the members to believe that federal or state involvement in the economy could ruin America’s ability to be the top economic power in the world. This fear grew into an opposition of government regulation of business and the promotion of conservative values.

I was raised by a traditional family. My parents are Republicans and Christians. The first time my dad was old enough to vote, he voted for Ronald Raegan. I was raised with most of the beliefs of the New Right movement, especially since I am Catholic. Even though I agree with most New Right ideals, I don’t completely agree with all of them. For example, I don’t completely agree with being against evolution. I think humans evolved in terms of bone structure. I believe we came from Adam and Eve, but our bone structure just changed over