Progressivism in the 1970s
Progressivism, according to the West and Schambra, was a socioeconomic and political reform movement period during the nineteenth and twentieth century America in the 1970s. During this period, various political leaders, social reformers and intellectuals sought to find solutions to the political, cultural, social and economic challenges that had been brought about by the growth of capitalism and the Industrial Revolution in the United States (1). This group of leaders such as President Carter and individuals were termed as progressives who were convinced that some of the changes being witnessed then in America indicated the end of the old order and the beginning of a new order that was in tandem with the industrial age. They actively believed in reforms and the fact that both federal and state governments had to be involved in the reform agenda. It is this progressiveness that would forever change the public perception of the role and purpose of government in the American society. It is the positive statism as an ideology and opposition to conservatism that was common among the progressives (Gendzel 333).
According to Woolner and Thompson, progressivism represented a forward looking era in the American history that saw various accomplishments in energy conservation, human rights, education, environmental protection, and healthcare and energy sufficiency (68). This progressivism in the US government and politics, they argue, has continued up to today whereby the government is seen as having the major role of ensuring a decent and dignified life for its citizens. The government policies in the 1970s that reflected a forward looking era according to these authors included the left wing’s clarion calls for equal opportunities for all Americans in terms of income levels, healthcare, education and employment.
The 1970s was also a forward-looking era in that it is during this that America made serious advances in medicine, theology, industrialization, economics and education. This period, as Berkowitz (96) argue, saw tremendous economic, political and social changes in the American society in terms of scientific, technological and economic development. The Presidents during this period who represented the liberals also carried out a number of reforms that would later define and shape America’s future forever even despite the series of economic downturns. It was a period in which the notion of modernism was embraced for social transformation of American society. Hence, I don’t think President Carter and other leaders who represented progressivism in the American history during the 1970s may not have been ahead of their time as such since they only had big and ambitious dreams for America, something that is now evident in the contemporary American society. With Improvements in healthcare, economy, employment and education, the American progressiveness that these leaders envisaged bore fruits albeit it may have taken time for this to be realized by ordinary Americans but it laid the foundation.
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Conservatism
American conservatism spearheaded by the conservatives or ‘the right’ like President Reagan flourished between the 1960s and 70s. Conservatism in America was a response to the twentieth century progressive challenge that had taken root in America. It involved a political belief in free market, support for Judeo-Christian values, individual liberty and Western culture; respect for American traditions and capitalism. They rejected communism, socialism, liberal internationalism and moral relativism but advocated for American exceptionalism. They saw individual liberty as being the cornerstone of the American democracy and thus promoted social justice and equality for all American. To them, the government as a representative of the welfare state had the responsibility to intervene to solve social inequalities and achieve the goals of conservatism. The social and foreign policies of the administrations during this period also represented a rejection of communism and support for the idea of capitalism and free market economy where each individual American had the opportunity to excel. According to Farmer (278), the classical conservatism that prevailed during this period in the American history was based mainly on the belief that the allowing individual citizens to follow their own desired pursuits in freedom were the proper purpose of the existence of a government. Some of the other social policies that the conservatives belief in according to this author included civilization, diversity, social justice, economic progress and freedoms, social change and American exceptionalism and image in the world. Reagan himself believed strongly in economic liberty, Protestantism, American dream, American exceptionalism and consistent optimism or hope. As a leader of the Conservative movement, he advocated for tax cuts, deregulation by the federal government, anti-communism, supply side economics. He provided strong leadership qualities that many saw as transformative and came up with new foreign policies that saw an improved American military prowess and defeat of the Soviet. Reagan, as a conservative leader, also emphasized on politics of ideology and provided visionary leadership of the conservatism movement by supporting its ideals (Farber 118).
The conservatism movement in America had several significant impacts that are still being felt today in the American society. Firstly, through this movement, there has been movement from liberalism to conservatism and a change in the perception of the control of the government on American’s lives. This movement has also led to economic transformation of the American society by creating a system of free enterprises that are devoid of much federal government’s interference and regulation, thanks to the deregulation policies that Reagan advocated for. It has also made both Republicans and Democrats alike to share a common idea that decreasing taxes and creating a free market economy is the key to social and economic transformation. Further, by supporting a notion of a welfare state, this movement has resulted in significant social welfare programs and policies such as social security, Medicaid, Medicare and now, Obama Care. And yes, I think conservatism has continued to gain ground since the Reagan years since it has changed American political and socioeconomic ideology based on a social welfare state. However, it has been argued by some that conservatives have failed to live up to one of the tenets of this movement-individual freedom and liberty.
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Globalization
With the emergence of strong forces of globalization brought about by technological and commercial advancements, America’s connection with the rest of the world has become more important than ever before. This transformation is mainly in form of foreign policies regarding trade, and military warfare. For instance, globalization has made trade an important and almost indispensable part and parcel of the American economy hence making it important to seek for more trade allies and foreign investments abroad. Today, American influence is felt in almost every part of the world as commerce and industrialization take a global dimension. Globalization has also opened up more market opportunities abroad in countries like China and other African countries. However, globalization has also had adverse impacts on the American society and its place on the global map as it has led to problems of immigration, terrorism, offshoring and outsourcing of jobs leading to lower wages and exposed America to more unique global threats to its national security and safety of its citizens both at home and abroad.
Further, a number of worldwide events have influenced America due to the impacts of globalization. For instance, global economic downturns or recession that is as result of world economic policies have impacted negatively on the American economy and jobs. Other worldwide events such as civil wars, conflicts, and liberation wars, global health pandemics such as Ebola and climate change or global warming have influenced the role that the US plays globally in relation to such issues and the general perception of the US foreign policies. Events like climate change, for instance, have influenced the US in that they have defined the course of US politics by making combating of climate change a big agenda for political campaigns. Issues of political revolutions and terrorism have also led to massive changes in the US foreign policy approaches in order to conform to the changing nature of threats facing America.
Our country has south to shape the world events by providing global leadership and potential solutions to some of the challenges facing the world. American has, for instance, been at the forefront in advocating for democracy and peace during civil wars in the Middle East and Africa, and has brokered deals on climate change and nuclear weapons. The US has also sought to change the course of world events by providing financial and military support when necessary. I think these trends, though representing to some extent a continuation of the past ones, are new in themselves in that the world has significantly changed over the centuries due to changes in technology, globalization and world politics.
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Pacific Relations
In the recent times, the American foreign policy has developed tremendously in relation to Asian nations. According to Yang, the American foreign policy in central Asia has in the recent past, especially under the Bush administration, been a militarized one (333). This author argues that given the centrality of national security to the US for its assets or interests both at home and abroad, the US has recently taken a military-minded foreign policy approach to most Asian states in its dealings with them both politically and economically. Moreover, as Mauzy and Job note, America’s current foreign policy in Asian region are mainly focused on anti-terrorism, instrumental cooperation and alienation (622). However, given the need to expand its foreign influence in the Asian countries due to the vast economic opportunities available in these nations, the US foreign policy has begun from one of alienation to one of re-engagement. According to these authors, it is what they call the Vietnam syndrome in the South East that had earlier or historically changed the US perception of the Asian states, but with the emergence of China as a threat to its influence in the region and globally, the US has had to change its foreign policy approaches towards Asia. This change has been influenced or inform ed by several factors and events. According to Javaid and Fatima, the 9/11 event almost completely influenced a change in foreign policy of the US towards the Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, for, it believed that these countries harbored and continue to act as safe havens for terrorists who masterminded the 9/11 attack (22). The authors argue that the attacks have had ramifications on the US foreign policy in South Asian region and resulted in the adoption of the policy of the war against terrorism, mainly directed against this region. However, many have also pointed out that China’s rise in the Asian region as a world super power both politically and economically have led to the US foreign policy in the region in a bid to counter this ‘threat’. Over time, US foreign policy in the Asian region has been defined by mutual partnership and interdependence due to the strategic nature of this region to America (Ikenberry 353).
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Government
The expansion of the role of the federal government has significantly changed the lives of American people in a number of important ways. To begin with, it has transformed America’s economic system by changing from the individual enterprise capitalism economy to a welfare progressive capitalistic economy. Due to its expanded Constitutional and administrative roles, the federal government through the Congress has led to the passing of important pieces of legislation that care for federal workers, veterans, members of the armed forces abroad and their families at home, social security recipients and farmers. Healthcare has significantly improved, with more Americans now able to access healthcare insurance coverage than ever before. The New Deal is responsible for expanding the authority of the federal government of the US since it has enabled it to be more involved in several aspects of Americans’ economic lives. The Supreme Court of the US, in its interpretative role, has also contributed to the expanded role of the federal government over the states and given it more power to come up with more socially and economically beneficial programs such as the Obama Care, Medicaid and Medicare among others that care for the veterans and create more job s for Americans and eliminate health disparities (Kennedy 456). Moreover, through an expanded mandate, the federal government is now able to regulate the stock market in order to ensure that another Great Depression does not befall America again. As a matter of fact, it is now claimed that more Americans are employed by the federal government jobs than any other private sector in the country, thus reflecting the significance of the expansion of federal government’s role. The New Deal that expanded the role of the federal government also led to the establishment of several important administrative bodies such as the Social Security Administration, Federal Housing Administration and the he Securities and Exchange Commission that have transformed the social welfare of Americans through decent housing and social security payments. More importantly, the expanded role of the US federal government to control bodies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ensured that Americans remain safe and secure from terror attacks due to enhanced coordination and intelligence gathering capacity bolstered by increased federal funding.
The growth of the government has had mixed impacts on the lives of Americans. Whereas it has made it possible for Americans to enjoy and access several social services such as healthcare, social security, education and national security from the state, it has equally led to unwarranted government interference with the lives of citizens. The government has also played a role in stabilizing the US economy over the years, thus revitalizing American living conditions and standards. Though some of the government initiatives are legitimized by the need to make every American safe from increasing threats of terror, some of the programs have led to limited freedom and limitation of such rights as the right to privacy. The growth of government has thus meant that the government has more control over our lives and has also helped control crimes leading to the lowest crime rates in our history.
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Works Cited
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Farber, David. The rise and fall of modern American conservatism: A short history. Princeton & Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2012. Print.
Farmer, Brian. American conservatism: History, theory and practice. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2008. Peint.
Gendzel, Glen. "What progressives had in common." Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era 10.3 (2011): 331-339. Web.
Ikenberry, G John. "American hegemony and the East Asian order." Australian Journal of International Affairs 58.3 (2004): 353-367. Print.
Javaid, Umbreen and Qamar Fatima. "US foreign policy parameters towards Pakistan and India (2001-2008)." Journal of Political Studies 19.2 (2012): 21-40. Print.
Kennedy, Edward M. "Perspectives: The role of the federal government eliminating health disparities." Health Affairs Journal 24.2 (2005): 452-458. Web.
Lee, Ann. “10 lessons the US can learn from China.” The Huffington Post. 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 19 May. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-lee/10-lessons-the-us-can-lea_b_1143462.html>
Mauzy, Diane K and Brian LJob. "U.S. policy in Southeast Asia: Limited re-engagement after years of benign neglect." Asian Survey Journal 47.4 (2007): 622-641. Web. 20 May 2016. <http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintInfo.asp>.
West, Thomas G and William A Schambra. "The pogressive movment and the transformation of American politics." Principles Series 12.1 (2007): 1-12. Web.< http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/07/the-progressive-movement-and-the-transformation-of-american-politics>.
Woolner, David B and John M Thompson. Progressivism in America: Past, present and future. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.
Yang, Chi-Lin. "A critique of American policies toward Central Asia." Change Gung Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 1.2 (2008): 333-355. Print.
