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Difficulty: MediumThe Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

Read the excerpt below.

"The liberal promise of the Great Society has run its course. By expanding the federal bureaucracy and attempting to engineer social outcomes from Washington, the reformers of the 1960s have not only failed to eliminate poverty but have actively weakened the traditional values of self-reliance and family responsibility. The path forward requires a government that recognizes its own limits, encourages private enterprise, and restores order to our public institutions."
—Conservative commentary, 1979

The ideas expressed in the excerpt most directly reflect which of the following historical developments by 1980?

  1. A growing public consensus that the social programs of the Great Society had failed to achieve their intended goals.Answer
  2. B
    A popular movement to dismantle the foundational social safety net programs established during the New Deal.
  3. C
    A push to resolve economic challenges by adopting Keynesian demand-side stimulus programs.
  4. D
    An absolute rejection of all federal involvement in the national economy and society.

Answer

A growing public consensus that the social programs of the Great Society had failed to achieve their intended goals.
The correct answer is correct because the critique of the Great Society's social programs was a primary intellectual and political catalyst for the conservative movement. Disillusionment with the government's ability to solve complex social problems, combined with economic stagflation, allowed conservatives to build a broad coalition of fiscal, social, and national security advocates that won the presidency in 1980.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source and context of the excerpt.
The excerpt is from a 1979 conservative commentary criticizing the federal expansion, social engineering, and anti-poverty programs of the 1960s (the Great Society).
Understanding the source's main argument allows you to link it to the broader political trends of the late 1970s and 1980.
2
Connect the excerpt's argument to the growth of the conservative movement.
The criticism of government overreach and the call for free enterprise and traditional values align with the core platform of the New Right and Ronald Reagan's 1980 campaign.
This links the specific text to the target historical topic of the conservative realignment in the 1980 election.
3
Evaluate the choices to identify the option that accurately matches this connection.
The correct answer identifies the growing skepticism toward the effectiveness of 1960s social programs, which fueled the conservative movement's rise.
This confirms the correct option while eliminating choices that misinterpret the movement's goals or conflate historical periods.

Key Concept

The growth of the conservative movement in the late 20th century was significantly driven by a backlash against the social and economic policies of the Great Society, leading to the political realignment of 1980.

Hints

1
Identify the decade and program mentioned in the excerpt to orient yourself in the correct historical period.
2
Consider how the conservative movement under Ronald Reagan positioned itself relative to the social welfare policies of the 1960s.

Practice More

Review how the conservative coalition of 1980 brought together different groups, such as social conservatives (the Moral Majority) and fiscal conservatives, and how they viewed the role of the federal government.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

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