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Difficulty: MediumThe Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

Read the excerpt below:

'I know we have held to the idea that our government is our servant, not our master. But we have gone astray. Today, a federal bureaucracy that has grown too big and too intrusive is consuming our national wealth, stifling the productivity of our people, and eroding the liberties of our citizens. We must halt this expansion and restore the balance between the federal government and the states, and between the public sector and the private enterprise system.'
— Ronald Reagan, Campaign Address, 1980

Which of the following political shifts in the late twentieth century is best explained by the ideas expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    A renewed national commitment to expanding Great Society social welfare programs.
  2. B
    The widespread adoption of Keynesian demand-side economic policies to curb inflation.
  3. The electoral victory of a conservative coalition advocating for deregulation and free-market policies.Answer
  4. D
    A political return to the unregulated laissez-faire economic system of the late nineteenth century.

Answer

The electoral victory of a conservative coalition advocating for deregulation and free-market policies.
The correct answer is correct because Ronald Reagan's campaign message focused on reducing the size and regulatory burden of the federal bureaucracy. This resonated with a new conservative coalition of economic conservatives, social conservatives, and Cold War hawks, leading to the electoral realignment in the 1980 election.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to identify the central argument.
The author argues that the federal government has grown too large and intrusive, consuming wealth and stifling productivity, and calls for a restoration of the balance between public and private sectors.
Understanding the source's main point is necessary to relate it to the broader historical context of the late twentieth century.
2
Contextualize the source within the late 1970s and 1980.
The speech reflects the political rise of the New Right and the conservative coalition that helped Ronald Reagan win the presidency in 1980.
Connecting the source to the election of 1980 helps identify the political shift it represents.
3
Evaluate the choices to determine which political development aligns with this platform.
The shift toward deregulation and free-market policies directly corresponds to the candidate's goals of reducing federal intervention.
This matches the conservative platform's emphasis on supply-side economics and limiting the federal bureaucracy.

Key Concept

The Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980
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The Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

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