Source: Narrated by Zach Lamb
[MUSIC PLAYING] A lot of Americans today are similar to Matt and Jessica. They were kids during the 1980s. And now they wonder why their parents supported Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party.
Reagan is a very famous president. But what happened? What are the legacies of the Republican Party's platform of low taxes, cuts to domestic spending, and an aggressive foreign policy? The effects of President Reagan's economic policies remain a matter of debate.
In 1981, his administration slashed taxes according to the theory of supply side economics. This policy enabled wealthy Americans to keep more income in the hopes that they would invest that money in their companies and create more jobs. Supporters of Reaganomics still argue that these tax cuts contributed to significant economic growth and prosperity by the late 1980s, a dramatic reversal from the stagflation of the 1970s. Critics of Reaganomics argue that tax cuts only enabled the rich to get richer, while poor Americans continued to struggle.
The 1980s also witnessed the rise of the culture wars. After the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, a militant anti-abortion movement emerged. By the late 1980s, members of the group Operation Rescue were actively attempting to prevent women from entering abortion clinics. Opponents of abortion insisted upon a child's right to life, while supporters of abortion argued on behalf of a woman's right to choose.
The AIDS epidemic contributed to a growing and increasingly vocal gay rights movement. President Reagan and his administration ignored the severity of the AIDS crisis. And heterosexuals incorrectly assumed that they were immune from the disease. In response to this negligence and ignorance, gay communities across the United States formed Act Up and other organizations to call attention to the epidemic and fight for a cure.
Like Matt and Jessica, you might have already known a little about the Reagan administration and the 1980s before completing this challenge. It's also likely that you already have opinions about tax cuts and cultural conflicts. You're not the only one. Bias comes naturally to everyone, including historians. And they must overcome it by investigating subjects objectively. Doing so often requires them to challenge or rethink their assumptions about a particular topic.
Arriving at an accurate interpretation of Reaganomics requires historians to ask a variety of questions and incorporate different perspectives. Applying the lenses of race, class, gender, and sexuality can contribute to a better understanding of the culture wars. As you complete the final parts of the course, keep an open mind, and engage with different interpretations of the recent past.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
