Chapter 30 The Revival of Conservatism, 1980-1992 The American People, 6 th ed.

Chapter 30Chapter 30The Revival of The Revival of Conservatism, 1980-Conservatism, 1980-19921992

The American PeopleThe American People, 6, 6thth ed. ed.

I.I. The Conservative The Conservative TransformationTransformation

The New PoliticsThe New Politics The adaptation of conservatism was not The adaptation of conservatism was not

limited to America, it was a world-wide limited to America, it was a world-wide phenomena in the 1980sphenomena in the 1980s

Conservatives seized on Thomas Conservatives seized on Thomas Jefferson’s maxim: “Government is best Jefferson’s maxim: “Government is best that governs least”that governs least”

The conservative philosophy had The conservative philosophy had enormous appeal and covered a broad enormous appeal and covered a broad political spectrumpolitical spectrum

Conservative LeadershipConservative Leadership Ronald Reagan, running against Jimmy Ronald Reagan, running against Jimmy

Carter in the 1980 election personified the Carter in the 1980 election personified the conservative idealconservative ideal

His eight years as president saw a return His eight years as president saw a return to nationalism and consistently high to nationalism and consistently high approval ratings for the executive officeapproval ratings for the executive office

In 1988 Reagan’s Vice President, George In 1988 Reagan’s Vice President, George Bush, captured the White House and Bush, captured the White House and continued the policies of his former bosscontinued the policies of his former boss

II.II. An End to Social An End to Social ReformReform

Civil RightsCivil Rights Republican policies slowed the civil rights Republican policies slowed the civil rights

movementmovement Regan opposed busing and worked to Regan opposed busing and worked to

eliminate affirmative-action programseliminate affirmative-action programs Women fared somewhat better with high-Women fared somewhat better with high-

profile nominations within the federal profile nominations within the federal governmentgovernment

The Environmental The Environmental MovementMovement Public policy of the 1980s and early 90s Public policy of the 1980s and early 90s

were discouraging to environmentalistswere discouraging to environmentalists The federal government consistently The federal government consistently

leased forest lands, wilderness areas, leased forest lands, wilderness areas, and coastal waters for economic and coastal waters for economic exploitation with little concern for the exploitation with little concern for the futurefuture

III.III. Economic and Economic and Demographic ChangeDemographic Change

The Changing Nature of The Changing Nature of WorkWork Technological advances, primarily in the Technological advances, primarily in the

field of automation, had significant impact field of automation, had significant impact on the workplaceon the workplace

Less people were needed for production Less people were needed for production jobs and had to retrain for the growing jobs and had to retrain for the growing service industry based on computersservice industry based on computers

Although work became less labor Although work became less labor intensive, Americans worked longer hoursintensive, Americans worked longer hours

Workers in TransitionWorkers in Transition The trade union movement, always and The trade union movement, always and

integral part of American business, integral part of American business, faltered as the economy changed to a faltered as the economy changed to a service-based systemservice-based system

Increases in women and young people in Increases in women and young people in the workforce eroded unions even morethe workforce eroded unions even more

Farmers were also hurt as growing Farmers were also hurt as growing consolidation meant fewer farmsconsolidation meant fewer farms

IV.IV. Foreign Policy and the Foreign Policy and the End of the Cold WarEnd of the Cold War

The End of the Cold WarThe End of the Cold War Gorbachev’s vision of a restructured and Gorbachev’s vision of a restructured and

modernized Soviet Union met with aggressive modernized Soviet Union met with aggressive opposition; he was overthrown in 1991opposition; he was overthrown in 1991

Boris Yeltsin, president of Russia, was Boris Yeltsin, president of Russia, was powerless to stop the emerging nationalism of powerless to stop the emerging nationalism of the former satellite states of the U.S.S.Rthe former satellite states of the U.S.S.R

Communist regimes throughout Europe Communist regimes throughout Europe crumbled, seemingly overnight, and the Berlin crumbled, seemingly overnight, and the Berlin Wall was finally dismantledWall was finally dismantled