1980s and Neo-conservatism

1980s and Neo-conservatism

1980s and Neo-conservatism• Neo-Conservatism• Election of 1980• Reagan• Reagonomics• Global Intervention• End of the Cold War – Reagan/Bush

New Rights

Neo-Conservatism

Economic Values

Social Values

New Right – Social Values• Denounced:• Abortion• Homosexuality• Affirmative action

• Advocated:• Loose separation of church and state

• Prayer in schools• Tougher penalties for criminals

New Right – Economic Values• Free Markets• Deregulation• Limited government intervention


Election of 1980

Reagan’s Characteristics• History:• A sports announcer for a radio station• Actor in Hollywood• President of the Screen Actors Guild (helped purge reds from the

industry)• Spokesman for General Electric• Governor of CA

Reagan’s Characteristics

• "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'“

- Ronald Reagan


The Reagan Revolution

Reaganomics – Laffer Curve

Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw5rp7MfD-Q

Reaganomics• Supply Side Economics• budget constraints + tax reduction • Goal

• Stimulate investment• Boost productivity• Grow GDP• Reduce the federal deficit

Prosperity in the 1980s

Data 1979 1982 1985 198820th percentile $16,457 $15,548 $16,306 $17,006

Median (50th) $38,649 $36,811 $38,510 $40,678

80th percentile $68,318 $66,920 $71,433 $75,593

95th percentile $111,445 $111,516 $119,459 $127,958

Reality of Reaganomics• Income gaps widened between the rich and poor:• The poor got poorer (due to inflation)• The rich got richer• The middle class was stagnant

Reality of Reaganomics• Income gaps widened between the rich and poor:• The poor got poorer• The rich got richer• The middle class was stagnant

• Added $2 trillion to the national debt

National Debt

Check Up!

• Summarize the basic principles of Supply-Side Economics.


Lebanon• 1983• U.S. peace-keeping force arrive

• October 1983• suicide bomber attacks U.S. Marine barrack • 200 marines killed

Grenada• October 1983• Military coup in Grenada• Marxists seized power• American troops swiftly overran the island and ousted the

insurgents

Libya• Libya’s gov. sponsored a terrorist attack on a passenger liner• U.S. retaliated• Libya put on list of states who support terrorists

The Iran-Contra Affair• 1979 - Revolution deposed the dictator of Nicaragua

The Iran-Contra Affair

• 1979 - Revolution deposed the dictator of Nicaragua• Secret Dealings• Reagan requested aid for contra rebels fighting against the left-

wing Nicaragua regime• Congress refused




• 1985• Am. diplomats secretly arranged arms sales to the Iranians• Money from the payment for the arms was diverted to the

contras




• 1985• Am. diplomats secretly arranged arms sales to the Iranians• Money from the payment for the arms was diverted to the contras

• November 1986 • Congress investigates but does not impeach• A congressional committee concluded that “if the president did

not know what his national security advisers were doing, he should have”

Check Up!

• How did President Reagan’s administration reflect the basic ideas and principles of the Neoconservative movement?


Reagan’s Strategy With the Sovietso New arms raceo Goal: Bankrupt the Soviet Union

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)oGoal: Build

Satellites could fire laser beams to destroy ICBMs

Meanwhile in Russia…

Mikhail Gorbachev Elected 1985 Committed to radical

reforms in the Soviet Union

Reforms:o Glasnost –

Expand civil lib.o Perestroika –

Adopting free-market practices

Reagan Reacts• Reagan

– Tear Down this Wall (4:00)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8

George H.W. Bush and the End of the Cold War Yale educated Served in WWII oil business in TX Served as a

congressman Was emissary to China Ambassador to the UN Director of the CIA Vice president

The Fall of Communism

August 1989 Poland’s communist government is toppled by the people.

VS.

1956 1989

The Fall of Communism August 1989

Poland’s communist government ends

September-November 1989o The communist

regimes collapsed in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Romania


Poland’s communist government is toppled by the people.

September-November 1989o The communist regimes

collapsed in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Romania

December 1989o The Berlin Wall fello This marked the beginning of

the end of the Cold War

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snsdDb7KDkg


Poland’s communist government is toppled by the people.

September-November 1989o The communist regimes

collapsed in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Romania

December 1989o The Berlin Wall fello This marked the beginning of

the end of the Cold War October 1990

o Germany reunited

Collapse of the USSR

December 1991o The Soviet Union dissolved into 15 republics loosely

confederated in the Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS),

1. Armenia, 2. Azerbaijan, 3. Belarus, 4. Estonia, 5. Georgia, 6. Kazakhstan, 7. Kyrgyzstan, 8. Latvia, 9. Lithuania, 10. Moldova, 11. Russia, 12. Tajikistan, 13. Turkmenistan, 14. Ukraine, 15. Uzbekistan

Results of the end of the Cold War No more tension over nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia It also marked the virtual end of communism world-wide Democracy now had no more ideological battles left to fight U.S. became uncontested world power

• Affirmative: The collapse of communism was due to internal pressures caused by social and political conflict within Eastern Europe.

Documents

1980s and Neo-conservatism