Ronald Reagan

Introduction

Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911 – 2004) was the 40th President of the United States of America. Serving from 1981 to 1989, Reagan led the eponymous “Reagan Revolution,” which saw the United States shift from the era of “big government” programs such as the New Deal of the 1930s and the Great Society of the 1960s, to an era when both parties sought the ideal of smaller government.

Reagan first rose to fame as a Hollywood actor, serving for multiple terms as President of the Screen Actors Guild. He rose to political fame during the US presidential campaign of 1964, in which he supported Republican Barry Goldwater. In that campaign Reagan delivered “Time for Choosing,” a speech which epitomized the growing fusionist conservative movement and is still, even considering his speeches as president, held up as one of his greatest speeches.

California Governorship

After the Goldwater campaign, Reagan ran for and won the governorship of California. He would serve for two terms, from 1967 to 1975, and his governorship was marked by his administration’s battles against student protestors, who were seen by many Californians as communistic and lawless. His record as governor gained him a strong following among the newly empowered conservative wing of the GOP, and in 1976 he very nearly beat incumbent President Gerald R. Ford for that year’s GOP nomination for president. Ford would go on to lose to Jimmy Carter, but four years later a sour economy and Reagan’s campaign skills would carry him to the White House in a landslide victory over the then-incumbent Carter.

Reagan’s Revolutionary Presidency

As president Reagan took a very small-government view, which in itself was revolutionary. The previous recent GOP presidents—Ford, Nixon, and Eisenhower—had all essentially adopted a pro-big government view (Nixon had even adopted wage-and-price controls). Reagan, on the other hand, won plaudits among conservatives for his discussion of fiscal sensibility and a general approach to small government. He was not afraid to use the powers that the government did hold, however; early in his term, when the Air Traffic Controllers union went on strike (in violation of federal law), Reagan fired all of them—something many had expected that no president would ever do. 

But it may be in foreign policy where Reagan most made his mark. Likewise breaking from his predecessors’ pursuit of détente, or better relations, with the Soviet Union, Reagan took a hardline approach. When asked for his Cold War strategy, he reportedly replied “We win, they lose.” Reagan loathed communism and controversially called the USSR an “evil empire,” which in itself was a break from the friendly talk which had existed between US and Soviet leaders since détente had begun. Matching his tough talk, Regan pursued a policy which became known as the Reagan Doctrine: support for any fighters attempting to rid their countries of communism. This was most notably put into effect in Afghanistan, with support to the mujahedeen against the invading Soviets, and in Nicaragua, with support for the controversial anti-communist Contras.

Though Reagan left office shortly before the Cold War ended, there still exists today a lively debate amongst historians as to the role that Reagan played in its collapse. Those who believe Reagan played a role argue that his increase of defense spending strained the Soviet Union’s economy, which was already having issues; Soviets who served in government in the 1980s have confirmed this view. What is not questioned, however, is Reagan’s influence writ large on American politics. The GOP would be continue to be dominated by Reaganism until the 2016 election of Donald Trump, and Democrats would likewise be, minimally, forced to pay homage to small government until the election of Barack Obama in 2008.  

A few years after leaving office, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He had a quiet retirement as a result, eventually passing away from the disease in 2004.