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Difficulty: MediumPolitical Realignment, Watergate, and Rise of Conservatism

"For decades, our region stood solidly with the party of our fathers, believing it defended the working man and local self-government. But the events of the last decade have shattered that alliance. The national leadership of our old party has embraced an aggressive federal expansionism—forcing social engineering upon our schools, dictate after dictate from federal courts, and an ever-growing welfare bureaucracy that saps individual initiative. We have not abandoned our principles; rather, the national party has abandoned us. The future of our nation lies with a new coalition that respects state sovereignty, fiscal responsibility, and the traditional values of our communities."
—Statement by a Southern political figure explaining their decision to switch party affiliation, 1972

Which of the following historical developments during the late 1960s and 1970s is best reflected in the political sentiments expressed in the excerpt?

  1. The political realignment of Southern white voters from the Democratic Party to the Republican PartyAnswer
  2. B
    The broad public consensus supporting the expansion of the Great Society programs
  3. C
    A widespread shift toward absolute isolationism in United States foreign policy
  4. D
    The adoption of supply-side economic theories by the national Democratic Party platform

Answer

The political realignment of Southern white voters from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party
The correct answer is correct because the passage reflects the key factors driving the realignment of the American electorate in the late 1960s and 1970s. White Southern voters, who had historically voted for the Democratic Party (the "Solid South"), increasingly defected to the Republican Party due to opposition to the national Democratic Party's support for civil rights legislation, desegregation orders from federal courts ("social engineering"), and the expansion of Great Society welfare programs.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the context of the stimulus
The source is a Southern politician in 1972 explaining their departure from their traditional party (the Democratic Party).
Understanding the speaker's background and historical moment helps identify the core political shift occurring in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
2
Analyze the grievances voiced in the text
The speaker objects to "aggressive federal expansionism," "social engineering upon our schools" (busing/desegregation), "federal courts," and "welfare bureaucracy."
These complaints align with the New Right and conservative critiques of liberal federal policy during this period.
3
Connect the grievances to broader political trends
These grievances motivated white Southern Democrats to abandon the national Democratic coalition and align with the Republican Party, contributing to a major political realignment.
Connecting local/regional political decisions to national party shifts explains the rise of the modern conservative movement.

Key Concept

Southern Realignment and the Rise of Conservatism
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Political Realignment, Watergate, and Rise of Conservatism

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