Chapter 22 Section 1 The New Conservatism

Comparing Liberal versus Conservative Powers of Government Liberal People who claimed that they are liberal believe that the government should regulate the economy to protect people from the power of large corporations and wealthy elites. Conservative Conservatives generally oppose high taxes and government programs that transfer wealth. Conservatives believe that taxes and government programs reduce the amount of freedom in society.

Comparing Liberal versus Conservative Economy Liberal Liberals believe that economic inequality is the cause of most social problems. They argue that high taxes on the wealthy makes society more equal. Conservative Conservatives distrust the power of government. They believe that government control of the economy weakens the economy. Conservatives believe in free enterprise. They argue that when people are able to make their own economic decisions, there is more wealth for everyone. As a result, they oppose high taxes, believing they discourage people from working hard.

Comparing Liberal versus Conservative Morality and Social Behavior Liberal Liberals are suspicious (distrustful) of any attempt by the government to regulate (control) social behavior. They also oppose (or against) the government’s support of religious beliefs in any way. Conservative Conservatives think that most social problems result from issues of morality. They believe that these issues are best solved through commitment to a religious faith.

Conservative Ideas after WWII Conservative ideas gained support after World War II for two main reasons, both related to communism. – One was that some Americans believed liberal economic ideas were leading the country toward communism. – Secondly, Americans of deep religious faith embraced the struggle against communism.

Good versus Evil They saw it as a battle between good and evil. Communism rejected religion and stressed material things. Thus, many Americans turned away from liberalism, which focused on economic welfare. They turned toward conservatism.

National Review In 1955 William Buckley founded a new magazine, the National Review. It helped to revive conservative ideas in the United States.

Sunbelt During and after World War II, many Americans moved to the South and West to get jobs in factories. This area was known as the Sunbelt. Thus the two regions of the country, the South and West, were more conservative than others during the 1950s and 1960s.

GoldWater In 1964 conservatives in the Republican Party displayed their power. They got Barry Goldwater, a conservative, nominated for president. Although Barry Goldwater lost the presidential election of 1964, his candidacy showed Republicans that the best way to attract Southern votes was to support conservative policies.

Shift in Politics Liberal politics dominated the United States for much of the 1960s. Conservative ideas gained strength during the 1970s.

Problems in the Cities Americans in the Northeast were battling high unemployment and pollution in cities. They looked to the government for help.

Sunbelt Economic Growth People living in the Sunbelt were experiencing economic growth. They feared increased taxes and federal controls would stop growth in the region.

Southern Voters For the first time since Reconstruction, many Southerners voted Republican. By 1980 the population of the Sunbelt was greater than the Northeast. This gave conservative regions of the country more electoral votes.

Suburbs As riots erupted and drug use and crime soared during the 1960s and 1970s, many Americans moved to the suburbs, hoping to escape problems in the cities.

Middle-Class However, rising inflation threatened their middle- class lifestyles. Many resented paying high taxes for social programs while their situations worsened. Antitax programs sprang up all over the country. Many middle-class Americans began to believe the conservatives were right—government had become too big.

Roe v. Wade Many Americans of deep religious faith were shocked by and concerned about the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. They felt the country had abandoned its traditional values. They became conservatives for this reason.

Religious Conservative Religious conservatives included people from many faiths. The largest group were evangelical Protestants. Ministers known as “televangelists” reached large audiences through television.

Moral Majority A new group called the “Moral Majority” backed conservative candidates. By 1980 the movement had formed a conservative bloc of voters.

Lost our way… Conservative voters were concerned about many issues, but they were united by a common belief. – They thought American society had lost its way. Their spokesperson, Ronald Reagan, offered hope to a nation in distress.