14.1 The Presidency of Ronald Reagan and the Conservative Revolution

Ronald Reagan's presidency marked a turning point in American politics. His conservative revolution reshaped economic policies, foreign relations, and social values. Reagan's supply-side economics and tough stance against communism defined the 1980s.

Reagan's legacy continues to influence American politics today. His emphasis on smaller government, lower taxes, and strong national defense became hallmarks of the Republican Party. The conservative movement he championed still shapes political debates and policy decisions.

Reagan's Key Policies and Initiatives

Reducing Government Size and Scope

Top images from around the web for Reducing Government Size and Scope

• 

  File:President Reagan speaking in Minneapolis 1982.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Solidarity Day March (1981) | All Tied Up and Nowhere to Go View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Progressive Charlestown: The day the middle class died View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:President Reagan speaking in Minneapolis 1982.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Solidarity Day March (1981) | All Tied Up and Nowhere to Go View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Reducing Government Size and Scope

• 

  File:President Reagan speaking in Minneapolis 1982.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Solidarity Day March (1981) | All Tied Up and Nowhere to Go View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Progressive Charlestown: The day the middle class died View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:President Reagan speaking in Minneapolis 1982.jpg - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Solidarity Day March (1981) | All Tied Up and Nowhere to Go View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Reagan's administration focused on reducing the size and scope of the federal government
• Implemented deregulation policies, particularly in the telecommunications, transportation, and financial sectors to reduce government oversight and promote economic growth
• Took a hard-line stance against labor unions, most notably during the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) strike in 1981 resulted in the firing of over 11,000 striking air traffic controllers

Supply-Side Economics and Tax Reform

• Implemented significant tax cuts through the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 and the Tax Reform Act of 1986 reduced the top marginal tax rate from 70% to 28%
• Pursued supply-side economics, also known as "Reaganomics," which aimed to stimulate economic growth through tax cuts and deregulation

Defense Spending and Foreign Policy

• Increased defense spending and pursued the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as "Star Wars," aimed to create a missile defense system to protect the United States from nuclear attacks
• Pursued a more assertive foreign policy to combat communism

Impact of Reaganomics

Economic Outcomes

• Implementation of Reaganomics led to a significant reduction in inflation rates, which had been high during the late 1970s and early 1980s
• Tax cuts and increased defense spending under Reagan's administration contributed to a substantial increase in the national debt, which nearly tripled during his presidency

Income Inequality and Criticism

• Critics argue that Reaganomics led to a widening income gap between the rich and the poor, as the benefits of economic growth were not evenly distributed
• Reaganomics had a lasting impact on American economic policy, with subsequent administrations and political leaders often debating the merits and drawbacks of supply-side economics

Conservative Movement's Influence

Reagan's Embrace of Conservative Principles

• The conservative movement, which had been gaining momentum since the 1960s, found a champion in Ronald Reagan, who embraced conservative principles such as limited government, free-market economics, and traditional social values
• The Moral Majority, a prominent conservative Christian political organization founded by Jerry Falwell, played a significant role in mobilizing conservative voters and shaping the Republican Party's platform during the 1980s

Institutional Support and Judicial Appointments

• Conservative think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, gained influence during the Reagan era by providing policy recommendations and intellectual support for conservative initiatives
• The conservative movement's emphasis on appointing conservative judges to the federal judiciary had a lasting impact, as Reagan appointed over 400 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices (Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, and Anthony Kennedy)
• The success of the conservative movement during the 1980s helped to reshape the American political landscape by shifting the country's political discourse to the right and influencing subsequent administrations and political campaigns

Reagan's Foreign Policy Significance

Confronting the Soviet Union

• Reagan's foreign policy was characterized by a more assertive and confrontational approach to the Soviet Union, which he dubbed the "Evil Empire"
• The Reagan administration increased support for anti-communist movements and governments in various parts of the world (Contras in Nicaragua, Mujahideen in Afghanistan)
• Pursued a massive military buildup, which put pressure on the Soviet Union to keep pace and contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet economy
• The Reagan administration's support for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) led to a renewed arms race with the Soviet Union and increased tensions between the two superpowers

Engagement and the End of the Cold War

• Reagan's engagement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, particularly during the Reykjavik Summit in 1986, helped to ease tensions and pave the way for the eventual end of the Cold War
• The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev in 1987, eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons and marked a significant step towards nuclear disarmament
• While the end of the Cold War is often attributed to a combination of factors, including internal reforms within the Soviet Union, Reagan's foreign policy played a significant role in putting pressure on the Soviet system and hastening its collapse