The working class Republican, Ronald Reagan and the return of blue-collar conservatism, Henry Olsen
Type
Label
The working class Republican, Ronald Reagan and the return of blue-collar conservatism, Henry Olsen
Language
eng
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
resource.biographical
individual biography
Index
index present
Literary Form
non fiction
Main title
The working class Republican
Nature of contents
bibliography
Oclc number
957504470
Responsibility statement
Henry Olsen
Sub title
Ronald Reagan and the return of blue-collar conservatism
Summary
"For 30 years the GOP has wrapped itself in the mantle of Ronald Reagan, winning national elections by appealing to free trade, low taxes and small government. Yet today the old Reagan coalition is falling apart, while its ideology has been rejected by the Republican base in favor of the nativist appeals of Donald Trump. Where should the party turn next? Ironically, answers political scientist Henry Olsen, to Reagan himself. Not the Reagan of conservative mythology, but the real Reagan - Reagan the fan of FDR and the supporter and ultimate savior of the New Deal. Reagan began his political career as a proud New Deal Democrat and an admirer of FDR. As Olsen shows in this sharply revisionist political biography, that admiration never changed, even as he eventually developed into an opponent of big government. It wasn't the New Deal that Regan objected to but LBJ's Great Society, which represented a massive expansion of state power in an attempt to solve social and economic problems best left to free market mechanisms. As such, Reagan never saw himself as FDR's political nemesis, but as his natural heir. Indeed Reagan built a philosophy that carried forward the basic promises of the New Deal -- that every American deserves comfort, dignity, and respect provided they work to the best of their ability. Neither party today truly understands what the New Deal represented - and still represents - to the American people. In fact, Olsen argues, the New Deal -- and Roosevelt himself -- were much more conservative than most Americans believe, while Reagan was much more progressive than most - conservatives and liberals alike - understand"--, Provided by publisher
Target audience
adult
Classification
Subject
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) -- History -- 20th century
- United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Political culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Right and left (Political science) -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Conservatism -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Presidents -- United States -- Biography
- Reagan, Ronald -- Political and social views
- Progressivism (United States politics) + History -- 20th century
- United States -- Politics and government -- 1989-
Content
Mapped to
Incoming Resources
- Has instance2
Outgoing Resources
- Classification4
- Creator1
- Subject9
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) -- History -- 20th century
- United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Political culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Right and left (Political science) -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Conservatism -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Presidents -- United States -- Biography
- Reagan, Ronald -- Political and social views
- Progressivism (United States politics) + History -- 20th century
- United States -- Politics and government -- 1989-
- Content1
- Author1
- Other version1
- Mapped to1