Synopses & Reviews
During the Reagan years, Americans witnessed an extraordinary array of changes, from major technological advances to sweeping revisions of the tax code to the deregulation of major industries and the advent of the culture wars. America emerged from the decade completely transformed: political and social arrangements derived from postand#8211;World War II liberalism had given way to the highly competitive, fast-changing, technology-driven society we know today.
In The Eighties, John Ehrman tracks this transformation in the context of Ronald Reaganand#8217;s policies and convictions and examines the broader trends that enabled Reagan to achieve so much of his agenda. At a time when most Americans remained fairly centrist in their political commitments, Reagan was able to shift policy toward the right by building support for a few key policies. His gradualist approach met with little opposition from Democrats, who failed to mount a coherent response. Based on a broad range of primary source material, The Eighties offers an accessible and balanced account of a watershed decade in American history.
Synopsis
America emerged from the Reagan years transformed—socially, politically, technologically, economically. In this book John Ehrman tracks the extraordinary changes of the 1980s in the context of Ronald Reagan’s policies and convictions, providing a balanced portrait of a president and of the watershed decade over which he presided.
“Ehrman’s work deserves to become one of the standard reference works for the Reagan period.”—Steven F. Hayward, Weekly Standard
“John Ehrman combines meticulous research, intellectual honesty, originality, and common sense to produce an interpretation of the Reagan era that is illuminating, refreshing, and highly readable.”—Glen Jeansonne, professor of history, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Mr. Ehrman has . . . produced a fascinating tableau of the Reagan era. . . . A brilliant new book, fully deserving its place on the Reagan bookshelf.”—Robert M. Smalley, Washington Times
Synopsis
A decade--and a president--that transformed America.
During the Reagan years, Americans witnessed an extraordinary array of changes, from major technological advances to sweeping revisions of the tax code to the deregulation of major industries and the advent of the culture wars. America emerged from the decade completely transformed: political and social arrangements derived from post-World War II liberalism had given way to the highly competitive, fast-changing, technology-driven society we know today.
In The Eighties, John Ehrman tracks this transformation in the context of Ronald Reagan's policies and convictions and examines the broader trends that enabled Reagan to achieve so much of his agenda. At a time when most Americans remained fairly centrist in their political commitments, Reagan was able to shift policy toward the right by building support for a few key policies. His gradualist approach met with little opposition from Democrats, who failed to mount a coherent response. Based on a broad range of primary source material, The Eighties offers an accessible and balanced account of a watershed decade in American history.
About the Author
John Ehrman is a foreign affairs analyst for the federal government. He was formerly a lecturer in history at George Washington University and writes on modern American conservative politics. His previous book, The Rise of Neoconservatism, was published by Yale University Press.