Ronald Reagan and the 1980’s

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.

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

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

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!

Reaganomics – Pros and Cons

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

Source: Center for Defense Information 2004 Yearbook

Source: U.S. Office of Management and Budget

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?

Reagan Videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErqdXYeudn8

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooUR_QDXE5g&feature=related

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.

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

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.