Memorial Hall Library

The Reagan revolution, a very short introduction, Gil Troy

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 132-140) and index

contains biographical information

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The Reagan revolution

bibliography

255902885

Gil Troy

Very short introductions, 218

a very short introduction

"The Reagan Revolution: A Very Short Introduction identifies and tackles some of the controversies and historical mysteries that continue to swirl around Reagan and his legacy, while providing an illuminating look at some of the era's defining personalities, ideas, and accomplishments. Gil Troy, a well-known historian who is a frequent commentator on contemporary politics, sheds much light on the phenomenon known as the Reagan Revolution, situating the reception of Reagan's actions within the contemporary liberal and conservative political scene. While most conservatives refuse to countenance any criticism of their hero, an articulate minority laments that he did not go far enough. And while some liberals continue to mourn just how far he went in changing America, others continue to mock him as a disengaged, do-nothing dunce. Nevertheless, as Troy shows, two and a half decades after Reagan's 1981 inauguration, his legacy continues to shape American politics, diplomacy, culture, and economics. Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush modeled much of their presidential leadership styles on Reagan's example, while many of the debates of the '80s about the budget, tax cutting, defense-spending, and American values still rage. Love him or hate him, Ronald Reagan remains the most influential president since Franklin D. Roosevelt, and one of themost controversial. This marvelous book places the Reagan Revolution in the broader context of postwar politics, highlighting the legacies of these years on subsequent presidents and on American life today"--Publisher description

Was Reagan a dummy? -- Do Americans like their government big--or small? -- Was there a call for a Reagan revolution (or what happened to the Great Society?) -- Was there, in fact, a Reagan revolution? -- Did the democrats fiddle as the Reaganauts conquered Washington? -- Who ended the Cold War--Reagan or Gorbachev? -- Did the Reagan revolution succeed or fail? -- When did the Reagan revolution end?