Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyPolitical Realignment, Watergate, and Rise of Conservatism

"To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home. Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow."

— President Richard Nixon, Address to the Nation, August 8, 1974

Which of the following was a major long-term political consequence of the development described in the excerpt?

  1. A
    A bipartisan commitment to expanding Great Society social welfare programs
  2. A significant decline in public trust in the federal government and political leadersAnswer
  3. C
    A renewed consensus to expand the containment of communism in Southeast Asia
  4. D
    The immediate adoption of supply-side economic policies to curb inflation

Answer

A significant decline in public trust in the federal government and political leaders
The correct answer is correct because the disclosure of the Watergate break-in and the subsequent cover-up by the Nixon administration deeply shook public faith in the presidency and government institutions. This cynicism persisted through the 1970s and paved the way for political realignment, boosting conservative arguments that the federal government was too powerful and untrustworthy.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical context of the stimulus.
The excerpt is from President Richard Nixon's resignation speech in August 1974, which was prompted by the Watergate scandal.
Understanding the source and its timing is crucial to analyzing its political consequences.
2
Analyze the long-term political trends of the late 1970s.
The Watergate scandal, combined with the struggles of the Vietnam War, severely eroded the public's confidence in government integrity.
This establishes the link between political scandals and shifts in public trust.
3
Connect the erosion of trust to the correct consequence.
The widespread cynicism toward Washington established a political environment where calls for limited government and conservative realignment could succeed.
This confirms why the correct option is the most direct long-term consequence of the event.

Key Concept

Decline of trust in government and the rise of conservatism
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question

Topics

Political Realignment, Watergate, and Rise of Conservatism

More questions from this topic