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Difficulty: MediumThe Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

The table below shows the voting percentages of selected demographic groups in the presidential elections of 1976 and 1980.

Demographic Group1976 Democratic (Carter)1980 Democratic (Carter)1976 Republican (Ford)1980 Republican (Reagan)
Union Households59%47%39%44%
White Born-Again Christians46%34%54%61%
Southern Whites46%35%52%60%

Which of the following developments in the late 1970s was a primary contributor to the political realignment reflected in the table?

  1. A
    A voter realignment driven by popular support for supply-side policies to increase corporate tax rates and expand federal welfare programs.
  2. B
    A sudden shift in voter priorities following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the immediate end of the Cold War.
  3. The formation of a new conservative coalition united by opposition to federal regulatory growth and frustration over perceived foreign policy failures.Answer
  4. D
    The growing influence of isolationist foreign policy advocates who demanded the complete abandonment of the containment of communism.

Answer

The formation of a new conservative coalition united by opposition to federal regulatory growth and frustration over perceived foreign policy failures.
The correct answer is correct because the political realignment of 1980 was built on a coalition of economic conservatives, social conservatives (such as white born-again Christians mobilized by the Moral Majority), and working-class voters who were dissatisfied with the Carter administration's handling of the economy (stagflation) and foreign relations (the Iran hostage crisis). This coalition supported Ronald Reagan's platform of deregulation, tax cuts, and a strong national defense.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the table to identify shifts in voting behavior between the 1976 and 1980 elections.
Identify that Carter's support among union households, white born-again Christians, and southern whites decreased significantly, while Republican support increased.
This establishes the trend of key groups shifting their allegiance from the Democratic Party to the Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan.
2
Relate these shifts to the historical context of the late 1970s.
Connect the shift to economic stagflation, foreign policy crises (like the Iran hostage crisis), and the growth of the conservative movement (including the religious right and economic conservatives).
This explains the motivations of the shifting demographic groups.
3
Select the option that best reflects the confluence of social and economic conservative factors that created this realignment.
Identify that a new conservative coalition united by opposition to federal growth and foreign policy frustrations fits the data.
This matches the historical explanation for the rise of the modern conservative movement.

Key Concept

The Conservative Coalition and the Realignment of 1980
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

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