The Age of Reagan
Background: Most of us have lived much of our lives in the "Age of Reagan," a period that dates from 1980 and that may still be ongoing today. Historians increasingly agree that the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 represented a "revolution" in American society and, particularly, its politics. Review Reagan's presidential career to explain what about it precisely was so "revolutionary."
Instructions: After reviewing your Instructor's Guidance and completing the weekly reading assignments (including those in the resource section below), please post a substantive discussion post of at least 200 words that analyzes the "Reagan Revolution" and its impact on American society and culture. Please use the following questions as the basis of your analysis:
Compare his approach to politics and foreign affairs with those of his predecessors, and assess the ways that his successors either built upon or attempted to reverse his legacy. Explain why so many Americans opposed Reagan's policies and those of his successors. Consider also the social and cultural changes that took place during the Age of Reagan. Finally, assess the success of the "Reagan Revolution" by identifying which problems it ameliorated and which it exacerbated. In your response, consider AT LEAST TWO of the following topics, with regard to how both Reagan and his successors handled or contributed to them:
a. The economy
b. The federal debt
c. Federal regulation
d. Social welfare
e. Public health
f. Race relations
g. Gender equality
h. Foreign affairs
Before writing your response, reflect upon the topic by considering the following questions:
*How revolutionary was the Reagan Revolution and how was it revolutionary? Consider the following topics and look at one or two in detail:
-The economy
-The federal debt
-Federal regulation
-Social welfare
-Public health
-Race relations
-Gender equality
-Foreign affairs
*In what ways was it beneficial to the American nation and in what ways was it detrimental?
*Did the positives outweigh the negatives or vice versa?
*Did the Reagan Revolution make the American nation more united or more divided?
*What cultural issues caused the most friction during the Age of Reagan?
*Is the Age of Reagan still underway?