HIST 2112 Lecture 22 Outline of Last Lecture I Conservatism from the Political Fringe to the Halls of Power II Vox Clamantis in Deserto Conservatism in the 1950s A Similarities with the New Left III Core Conservative Beliefs A Caveat there are many different kinds of conservatives B Core conservative beliefs a Mistrust of centralized big government b Emphasis on individual rights especially property rights and free enterprise c Mistrust of social engineering i e using government as a tool for social improvement d Intense anticommunism patriotism support for large military 1 big military in a small government e Law and Order f Traditional Values 1 Popular among religious conservatives but not all conservatives are religious see Ayn Rand g Hatred of modern conservatives e g Eisenhower Rockefeller IV Conservative Intellectual Influences A Friedrich von Hayek and The Road to Serfdom 1944 B U of Chicago economist Milton Freidman C Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged The Fountainhead D Russell Kirk and The Conservative Mind E William F Buckley and The National Review a Young Americans for Freedom V Barry Goldwater A Born Arizona 1909 B Classic Conservative Anti New Deal Intensely anti communist pro military deeply opposed to LBJ s Great Society a Not Religious C 1964 Presidential Election a GOP moderates defeated at convention Goldwater nominated b LBJ crushes Goldwater c Liberalism triumphant For now but Outline of Current Lecture I The 1970s The hangover from the 1960s party A Disallusionment cynicism diminished expectation and a new suspicion of government B Death of the Liberal Consensus a The Product of the Perfect Storm of historical events and conditions II Vietnam and the Reaction against Rage A Political effects of the credibility gap B Watergate C Growing Disgust with Radicalism Weathermen Panthers Etc D Conservatives See This is what Liberalism has brought you III The End of Prosperity A Global Economic Competition B Guns and Butter Inflation from spending on Vietnam and the Great Society at the Same time C The Oil Crisis of 1973 1974 a Stagflation inflation stagnant growth b The Misery Index D Conservative Response a Economic Problems excessive government regulation 1 Excessive taxation 2 Inefficiency E The appeal of conservative arguments to Democratic hardhats IV Race The southern strategy and Busing A The Southern Strategy a Goldwater s southern success in 1964 b GOP lesson win over southern segregationists Democrats without alienating other republicans and win national power 1 Using broad strategic language States rights Getting government off your back Cracking down on the lazy and the criminal etc B Busing and the Limits of the White Northern Liberal support for Civil Rights Current Lecture The Bummer Decade Existentialism and the Unraveling on Liberalism in the 1970s The 1970 s Hangover from the 1960 s party disillusionment cynicism diminished expectation and a new suspicion of government Death of Liberal Consensus the product of a perfect storm of historical event conditions Loss of Trust in Gov people in America lose 1 Vietnam the reaction against Rage loss of legitimacy of the government gov lied to ppl about winning the war New Left and conservatives had never trusted the government now no one did Credibility Gap and loss of trust 2 Watergate Pres Richard Nixon blunt and vulgar had a list of enemies revengeful desired to get reelected broke into Democratic Party national headquarters to spy on materials and got caught Nixon s name is given up and he s caught voice recorder in white house had recorded his conversations impeached and removed by office more loss of trust in gov 3 Conservatives Blame Liberalism linked the revolutionary side of culture and society radical activity to liberalism blames liberalism for the radical movements hippies Weathermen Panthers etc End of Prosperity issues of inflation rising prices liberalists support economic growth with ideal that everyone will succeed in effect when the economy collapses people question liberalistic views Guns and Butter idea that massive social spending and war spending cannot both exist at the same time issue of inflation from spreading on Vietnam as well as the Great Society Lyndon s dream for American growth at the same time Oil Crisis of 1973 4 Israel goes to war and the US supports them becomes dependent on middle eastern oil enemies of Israel cut off oil supply to US makes inflation worse creates flag system of selling gas green yellow red continues to make liberals look bad Stagflation inflation stagnant growth Misery Index Conservative Response economic problems excessive government regulation people revolt against taxation and regulation inefficiency within the economy the problem of welfare handouts appeal of conservation arguments to Democratic hardhats belief that they are deserving of welfare but not blacks Race the Southern Strategy of Busing liberals are turned against one another over racial issues division of Northerners supportive and progressive with race vs Southerners close minded views The Southern Strategy strategy to integrate white segregationist southerners into the Republican Party party of civil rights along with those already there used shared dislike of big government to mold the two Nixon promised to make government weaker get gov off the southerner s backs Strategic Language used to gain support get gov off your back state s rights cracking down on the lazy and the criminal etc Barry Goldwater voted for by southern whites in hopes of less federal attempts of integration southerners were bitter about Lyndon Johnson signing off the civil rights Barry Goldwater supported Southern views and was against New Deal social programs and big gov white southerners believe that government not bothering them refers to no more laws of non segregation and equality among races Busing attempt to de segregation kids on the buses would be sent to a different school in order to mix students highly protested among white segregationists many anti bussing rallies buses are even bombed