'Resurgence of Conservatism\r'

'DBQ 15: The Resurgence of Conservatism, 1964-2005 Liberals had rule American society for to the highest degree of the 1900s. The mid- half-dozenties was widely know for being the while of counterculture, social reforms, and liberals. The era witnessed many a(prenominal) another(prenominal) advancements care racial equality such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a fuddled advancement in regimenal liberalism, and a significant increase in the reason and influence of establishment-funded social programs as a result of Lyndon B. Johnsons immense bon ton reforms.Beginning with the pick of Nixon, however, followed a gradual return to conservatism whether religiously, governmentally, or economicalally. The revitalization of conservatism in American political relation and g everyplacenment in the eld 1964-2005, was braced in reaction to mid-sixties liberal political, economic, and social policies as intimately as the spring up of religious political groups and the co ntroversy over the Vietnam War. The political sciences political and economic policies getd to the try out of conservatism. Most non qualified of the national official reforms were initiated by liberal Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson and his large(p) Society schemes.His â€Å"War on pauperization” speech, delivered on March 16, 1964, called for a contend on poverty to award quite a little a second chance by spending millions on education, job training, ho use, and healthcare. Johnsons intention was in some ways a materialistic one. He wanted to give people a hand-up, not a hand-out and make them dependent on the capital earned from evaluateing the to a greater extent lucky (Document A). Reflecting the liberal mood of the 1960s, choosers flocked to the polls to right to vote for Johnson because in part by their organized religion in prominent Society programs. Johnson legitimate 61. 1% of the popular vote and 90. % of the electoral college vote and captured all but six southern states, traditionally Democratic â€Å" inviolable south”, who were alienated by Johnsons advocasy for cultivated rights (Document B). The higher taxes involved in the Great Society programs, however, were resented by cautiouss, who saw the social programs as a sign of the increase government influence. Richard Nixon promised a policy of new-made Federalism, transfering some of the powers previously held by the federal government to the states, to counter the Great Society programs. He also apppointed four unprogressive justices to the absolute Court including Chief evaluator Warren Burger.Nixon and other conservatives denounced the previous solicit below Chief Justice Earl Warren, whose decisions drastically changed sexual freedom, the rights of criminals, and the role of religion in schools. At the representation of two peremptory Court justice nominees in 1971, Nixon utter that it is the duty of the judge to base his decisions on strict interpretat ion of the Constitution and not on his personal political or social views, indirectly referring to the liberal Supreme Court of Earl Warren. (Document E). By winning the presidential election of 1980, Ronald Reagan confirmed the return of modern-day conservatism.He received 50. 8% of the popular vote and 90. 9% of the electoral college votes (Document G). Reagan applied supply-side economics, dubbed â€Å"Reaganomics”, safekeeping the budget under control and minify taxes, ultimately stimulating the economy and trim down the federal deficit. He distanced politics from the interventionist government of the 1960s, appealing to conservatives belief of small government. mingled with 1981 and 1982, the economy suffered the deepest recession since the Great depressive disorder of the 1930s, unemployment reached 11%, and several bank closings occurred.Democrats attacked Reagans tax and spending cuts, claiming that it favored the rich and pain the poor. However, it was actually the â€Å"tight money” policies to pick out inflation under control under President Carter that caused the recession. In 1983 the recession ended, which seemed to rationalize Reaganomics. Robert Samuelson stated in â€Å"The Enigma” that Reagans â€Å" giving medication was very triumphful” (Document H). Built-up inflation from the Carter course of instructions was gone, the economy was in its second-longest expansion since adult male War II, and Reagan dealt efficiently with the Soviets.His social agenda of challenging abortion and advocating school petitioner was only pirsued half-heartedly. Since the nation under Reagan was personnel casualty so well, its no surprise that many Americans turned from liberalism and began to embrace conservatism, and that his effectiveness was even off able to convince some conservative southern Democrats to abandon their own political party and follow the president. Consequently, the failures of the policies of liberal presidents like Carter and the success of conservatives like Reagan lead to the resurgence of conservatism.The rise of religion in American politics also contributed to the growth of conservatism. The most orotund was a coalition of conservative, evangelical Christians known as the religious right. The Moral majority, founded by Reverend Jerry Farwell, emerged to combat what they saw as an irreligious and corrupt society. They focused to a greater extent on the social aspects of government than the economic concerns. They preached successfully against abortion, feminism, and the spread of gay rights and had registered among 2 and 3 million voters.By using multiple media devices like the radio and TV, televangelists were able to reach huge audiences and collect millions of dollars to bread and butter political conservative candidates. Ralph Reed stated in his book, Active Faith: How Christians atomic number 18 Changing the Soul of American Politics, that the republicans conserva tive and pro-life position is an important element of the party that garnered the set up of millions of pro-life individuals and families in elections, and that they should not abandon their views (Document I).In 1964, representation in the House of Representatives in southern states was more often than not dominated by Democrats. However, by the year 2000, the seats occupied became increasingly Republican (Document J). Most Americans lived in the Bible hit South and West, where religious Fundamentalism and suspicions of the federal government due to scandals like the Watergate scandal, thrived and so more Republicans than Democrats were elected into their respected offices because they appealed to the Southern citizens with their conservatism.Thus, the rise of religious and moral awareness in politics prompted many Americans to become increasingly conservative and contribute to its resurgence. Another cause for the resurgence of conservatism was the controversy over the Vietnam War. During Johnsons presidency, the war had become the longest and most unpopular war in the nation. He helped escalate the war by politics granted to him under the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, after which he promptly sent thousands of American phalanx into combat. As the war wore on, many Americans became weary of it.While Johnson dreamed of a â€Å"Great Society”, his presidency was haunted by the Vietnam War (Document D). Much of the funding he hoped would expand his social reform went towards financing the war. After Nixons Vietnamization of the war, only 30,000 American troops remained in Vietnam. The powerful federal government of Lyndon B. Johnson as depicted by the disputed Vietnam War, lead many Americans to turn their support towards conservative Republicans who championed small government and contribute to the return of conservatism onAmerican politics and government. The resurgence of conservatism in American politics and government was chiefly a manifestation of the liberal 1960s and 1970s. The Moral Majority arose to denounce the irreligious movements such as the sexual and feminist movements that advocated abortion and homosexuality. The governments political and economic policies further herded Americans into conservatives arms as the governments influence increased and Reagans conservatist presidency prove effective.\r\n'