The Conservative Resurgence

You’ll be able to

Explain the origins and appeal of the New Right and Reagan conservatism
Analyze the economic policies known as Reaganomics
Describe the role of social conservatism in the political realignment

The rise of the New Right

By 1980, disillusionment with government (after Vietnam and Watergate), economic troubles (stagflation), and a backlash against 1960s liberalism fueled a conservative resurgence. The "New Right" fused several strands: economic conservatives seeking lower taxes and less regulation, social conservatives (including the religious right, like the Moral Majority) alarmed by cultural change, and Cold War hawks. Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980 marked this realignment, drawing in "Reagan Democrats" and cementing a conservative era in American politics.

Reaganomics

Reagan’s economic program, "Reaganomics" or supply-side economics, rested on the idea that cutting taxes — especially on higher incomes and businesses — would spur investment, growth, and ultimately more revenue ("trickle-down"). It combined tax cuts, deregulation, reduced domestic spending, and increased military spending. Supporters credited it with taming inflation and reviving growth; critics noted soaring federal deficits and widening income inequality. Either way, it marked a decisive break from New Deal–Great Society liberalism.

Culture and the courts

Social conservatism was central to the New Right. Activists mobilized around opposition to abortion (after Roe v. Wade), the Equal Rights Amendment, and secularism in public life, while championing "family values" and school prayer. Reagan’s appointment of conservative judges, including to the Supreme Court, aimed to shift the judiciary rightward for decades. This blending of economic and cultural conservatism defined the modern Republican coalition.

Worked example

Briefly explain ONE factor that contributed to the conservative resurgence of the late 1970s and 1980s.

1.Identify a factor: economic distress in the 1970s, especially stagflation, undermined confidence in liberal economic management.
2.Explain the reaction: many Americans blamed high taxes, heavy regulation, and big government for the malaise.
3.Connect to the outcome: this drove support for conservative promises of tax cuts, deregulation, and smaller government under Reagan.

Answer: The economic distress of the 1970s, particularly stagflation, eroded faith in liberal governance and led many Americans to blame high taxes and big government, driving support for the conservative agenda of tax cuts and deregulation that Reagan championed.

Checkpoint

The economic philosophy behind "Reaganomics" held that

Tip

Frame the New Right as a coalition, not one idea: economic conservatives (tax cuts, deregulation) + social/religious conservatives (family values) + Cold War hawks (military buildup). Naming multiple strands shows you understand why the movement was so powerful.

Checkpoint

The rise of the "religious right" and the Moral Majority in the late 1970s reflected

Answer the 2 checkpoints as you read.