In this paper, the actions/ behaviors that led to the conclusion that Ronald Reagan was a charismatic leader will be evaluated. Generally, charismatic leadership refers to “a leadership style where the leader engages in extraordinary behaviors and exhibits considerable expertise” (Lussier and Achua 46).
Key Leadership Style
Reagan used the charismatic leadership style during his tenure as the president of the US. Charisma is a trait associated with leaders based on their behaviors, expertise, and the situational context. Charismatic leaders often include emotional appeals in their speeches to improve the effectiveness of their communication (Bonnici 63). This involves using symbolism and metaphors to inspire and motivate followers. Charismatic leaders are expected to have a clear ideological vision to encourage radical change among their followers. Additionally, they must demonstrate high standards of honesty to earn the trust of their followers. In this respect, a charismatic leader has to be honest in his actions. Furthermore, “demonstrating courage and conviction enables charismatic leaders to manage follower impression” (Bonnici 69).
Why Reagan was a Charismatic Leader
Reagan demonstrated the traits discussed in the foregoing paragraph in the following ways. To begin with, he was an effective communicator who used symbolism and metaphors in public speeches to inspire the citizens (Greenstein 220-230). For example, he described the USSR as the evil empire. Metaphorically, this description highlighted the moral superiority of democracy and freedom of choice over communism.
Reagan had a clear vision, which he encouraged the citizens to support to promote economic development. His ideological vision was to create a conservative society (Bell 66-74). In this respect, Reagan focused on reducing government expenditure, cutting tax rates, and protecting citizens’ constitutional rights. Thus, his vision was considered as the change that Americans needed to correct the mistakes made by the Carter regime. Reagan earned the trust and respect of the citizens through his candid honesty. He portrayed courageous convictions and focused on pursuing what he and his followers considered to be right. For example, “he took responsibility for the Iran Arms and Contra Aid controversy in 1987, thereby regaining the trust of the pubic” (Bell 66-74).
Unlike most former presidents of the US, Reagan showed his expertise in managing the country through effective delegation of tasks and authority (Greenstein 220-230). He believed that empowering members of his administration would ensure successful implementation of national policies. Thus, he established effective teams that worked independently, thereby improving the effectiveness of his administration.
If I were the President
As the president, I would use transformational leadership to lead the country. A transformational leader is an individual who is capable of guiding, directing, and influencing others to achieve the desired change (Bonnici 78). Unlike charismatic leadership, transformational leadership does not require special traits and behaviors, which some leaders might lack. Transformational leadership would facilitate power sharing through consultations and widespread participation in my administration. This would ensure effective leadership by promoting responsiveness and accountability among administrators.
Conclusion
Having charisma is a fundamental requirement for being a charismatic leader. This involves having charismatic traits such as trust, a clear vision, excellent communication skills, and ability to delegate authority effectively. President Ronald Reagan had these traits and used them to lead the country. As a result, he was considered a charismatic leader who had extraordinary expertise in leadership.
Works Cited
Bell, Mark. “Charismatic Leadership Case Study with Ronald Reagan as Exemplar.” Emerging Leadership Journeys 6.1 (2013): 66-74. Print.
Bonnici, Charles. Creating a Successful Leadership Style, London: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011. Print.
Greenstein, Fred. Presidents, their Styles and their Leadership, Princeton: Center for Public Leadership, 2008. Print.
Lussier, Robert and Christopher Achua. Leadership: Theory, Application, and SkillDevelopment, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
The relative rise of conservatism in the XX century United States began around 1950s, and continued through 1970s, at that time the movement was marked by the general diligence, as well as the beginning of actions and the birth of ideas which crystallized only later, in the framework of the third wave of conservatism and the so-called “Reagan Era”. The conservative period in 1970s could be characterized as the backlash to various civil rights movements, including the feminist and the anti-racist movements, while the 1980s were the time of action more than reaction, when the ideas of 1950s clarified from anachronisms and aligned with modern values were incorporated into the paradigm of “modern conservatism” and brought into action by Reagan himself and his administration. The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at the conservative tradition during Reagan’s period, using the work of James Oakes, and also to investigate the following questions: whether there was something new and revolutionary about the “Reagan Revolution” and how the Reagan presidency was able to change the nature of American politics.
Oakes et al. speak about the origins of the contemporary conservatism from the positions of interpretation of the 1960s events. He notes that at the beginning of his term Reagan had to face the nation’s insecurity about the future, which after the war in Vietnam and the economic decline seemed very strong. Being a charismatic leader, Ronald Reagan was able to reassure his fellow citizens with his speeches “to stir up patriotic emotions and to persuade Americans that the Vietnam War had been a “just cause” worth supporting” (Oakes et al. 923). With that rhetoric Regan assured the restoration of the US military power, and the Reagan Doctrine has had significant influence over American foreign policy.
The confrontation with the Soviet Union, which lasted almost until the downfall of the “evil empire” itself, the aggressive anticommunist policy in the Third World countries, mainly including Central and Southern America and the attempts to pacify the Middle East, backed up by the necessity to secure the US oil supplies and to help the ally state of Israel, all of these strategies illustrated the active approach aimed at restoring the nation’s sense of self-esteem, while at the same pursuing the less obvious benefits. Oakes agrees that “Reagan successfully combated the sense of national decline that had pervaded America in the 1970s … His presidency re-invigorated faith in capitalist innovation, minimal government, and American military power” (Oakes et al. 941). After years of failures in foreign policy, such an aggressive promotion of American values and excellence has become a welcome novelty and change, and not only brought high popularity to Reagan and his cabinet but also revived the conservative movement as a whole.
Another sign of novelty introduced by Reagan to the conservative tradition was the supply-side principle in economics, which allowed the Reagan administration to take the methods of conservative economics further and cut the taxes dramatically to produce more tax revenues. Oakes in his book chapter “The Triumph of Conservatism” notes that this decision became an important victory for Reagan and Reaganomics, “it cut federal income taxes 5 percent the first year and 10 percent in each of the next two years” (Oakes et al. 920). Strangely enough, this controversial move along with other economical methods, including “stagflation”, has brought the necessary effect, although after a few years of recession. Some critics still think that the Reaganomics should not be given credit for the economic growth; however, this new decision has brought even more success to the “modern conservatism” in the middle of 1980s.
Reagan’s government had infused some “fresh blood” into the traditions of conservatism, at the same time allowing to establish some of the 1960s achievements, when “disadvantaged groups made … little political progress in the 1980s, but conservatives also made little progress in their social and cultural agenda” (Oakes et al. 933). However, the stalemate of the traditional values versus the democratic ideas could have as well been a result of a chaotic social policy of the modern conservatives. Some of the struggles were plagued with scandals in the governing circles and among the supporters of Reagan, although they did not involve or affect the President directly, but still made Reagan compromise more with the Senate.
The mix of forced trade-offs to the Democratic Party and the use of innovative approach in some areas of political life of the country, including giving support to the “Golden Belt” of the US, where the new technologies were experiencing rapid development, has marked the new era of optimistic yet compromising conservatism with loud-voiced rhetoric and a less speaking actions. All the while, “Reagan Revolution” owes much to the achievements of previous waves of conservative policy, and essentially was a direct development of the socio-political life of the 60s and 70s, governed by the laws of the new era and the rapid progression of events. Indeed, Oakes characterizes Reagan as “typically modest” and giving credit to “American policies reaching back to the 19 40s” (Oakes et al. 939). Although the accomplishments of the new conservatism were fragile, the confident leadership and optimism have given support to business innovation and restored faith in the democratic system once again.
Works Cited
Oakes, James, Michael McGerr, Jan Ellen Lewis, Nick Cullather, Jeanne Boydston, Mark Summers, and Camilla Townsend. Of the People: A History of the United States, Concise, Volume II, Since 1865. 2nd ed. 2013. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Print.
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States. His presidency is still a highly controversial topic. However, most politicians argue his accomplishments and highlight his failures. He took office when more than 50 percent of Americans supported conservative policies and voted against democrats (12).1 After being a democrat for a long period, Reagan switched to the Republican Party. Reagan’s critics often emphasize his inability to exercise his power. He could not overcome political and economic obstacles and tried to avoid them. The main goal of this paper is to analyze Reagan’s era to identify episodes that highlight his incompetence to exercise the power of being president
Reagan’s Policies
Various specialists highlight that the period of Ronald Reagan’s presidency should be characterized as an era of prosperity and success. Many American citizens feel the nostalgia for those days. However, facts demonstrate that it was a complete failure as this period is associated with a high level of deprivation and bureaucracy.
Reagan’s followers believe that he stopped an economic downturn and fostered liberty and free markets. Many of his supporters admire his outstanding communicational skills. On the other hand, Reagan was often blamed for abstract thoughts. People underlined the “homemade quality” of his mind (1).2 During his presidential campaign, he blamed Carter administration for the high governmental spending. However, after his leaving the office, the federal expenditure even increased.
Reagan aimed at weakening the government’s position. However, after several years of his presidency, the necessity of government intervention in the economy was so high that he had to change his mind regarding free markets and enhance the regulation and supervision of economic activities. It was one of his steps that suppressed freedoms. Reagan administration failed to achieve the development of free markets.
Reagan was not deeply involved in a political discussion. He focused only on cutting taxes, promoting the Strategic Defense Initiative missile shield, assisting anti-communist rebels in Latin America, and the condemnation of abortions (75).3 Although his governing manner was not intense, the general public believed that Reagan was a decisive leader. For example, when approximately 12,000 air traffic controllers went on strike, hoping that the president would support their walkout, Reagan applied tough measures. He neglected the fact that Air Traffic Controllers Organization stood for his presidency. Reagan did not sympathize with rebel workers. He sent military personnel to airports to replace strikers (39).4 This episode made a great impression on citizens that gave up the labor movement. Also, it convinced businessmen that the president would support their interests in the future.
Various critics perceive him as a low intelligent person due to the lack of analysis in his political actions. They support this opinion with different facts. When Reagan was faced with negative statistics that “the annual rate of inflation had reached 13 percent, and unemployment hovered at 7.5 percent,” he oversimplified this situation, not suggesting any solution for it (1430).5 Also, significant federal subsidies to business did not let him restore an economic balance. In addition, Reagan stated that he had made another decision regarding the pro-union plant-closing bill. Initially, Reagan vetoed this law, but later he let it pass without signing due to the high pressure from the political establishment. He explained that this action was necessary to ensure a Congressional trade bill. However, this bill subsequently violated consumers’ rights.
Reagan persuaded the members of his administration to reassign several politicians who tried to promote alternative ideas regarding economic, social, and foreign issues. He replaced specialists from such organizations as “Brooking Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace” with numerous bureaucrats and cooperated with conservatives from American Enterprise Institute, The Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the Hoover Institution (41).6 In addition, Reagan tried to stop social welfare programs that had worked for many years. His administration intervened in the work of federal courts that promoted civil rights and freedoms and reduced the pressure on business and banking (90).7
When Reagan came into office, he promised to cut business taxes. The Act of 1981 is considered to be the greatest tax decrease in the history of the United States. It took away most tax savings that were enacted before. The Economic Recovery Tax Act caused the Department of Treasure the loss of $750 billion (44).8 This law reduced income, business, and estate taxes. Reagan majored in economics at Eureka College. However, he did not have a political education. Subsequently, Reagan’s political incompetence led to a high level of deficit. He did not realize why “a deficit crowds out investment, but taxes do not” (4).9 Also, the increase in payroll and state taxes made this reform insignificant for many Americans.
At the beginning of his presidency, Reagan drastically reduced governmental spending. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 cut spending for the fiscal year 1982 by approximately $35 billion and during the next three years by $140 billion (43).10 However, large investments were made to support various defense programs. Meanwhile, some social welfare programs were stopped. These changes affect public housing subsidies, job training, and school lunch programs. Nonetheless, Reagan failed to achieve a reduction in federal spending. The number of citizens who worked for the government became even bigger during his presidency. Reagan usually avoided discussion about his economic policies. He insisted on the idea that the public supported tax cuts. However, Reagan could not handle serious deficits that followed his reforms. The United States became a country with the highest foreign debt in the world due to the increased investments in military programs and low taxes. Although Reagan denied the deterioration of the trade balance, it drastically affected the country’s economy. He could not deliver on his promises to balance the budget and improve the situation with free markets.
However, several notable accomplishments made him very popular. Reagan supported a conservative ethic movement addressing such issues as “reproductive rights, drug use, and the role of religion in public life” (41).11 He attempted to give more freedom to market forces, promoting equality and prosperity. Finally, increased expenditures on military training and rearmament contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Later presidents very often referred to Ronald Reagan. Some perceived him as an incompetent politician. On the contrary, others highlight his positive traits. President Obama compared himself to Reagan “in terms of being a “transformative” president.”12 However, Bush seriously criticized Reagan’s tax policies. Although his accomplishments are still highly debatable, many powerful politicians execute their power, taking into account the outcomes of Reagan’s era.
Conclusion
Reagan’s main failure is associated with his tax policy. The fact that the government reduced taxes but remained spending at the same level led to foreign debt increase. It had a negative impact on the productive sector. He was not capable of managing this serious economic deterioration and tried to ignore it. The lack of professional skills made him an incompetent president who could not effectively exercise his power.
Bibliography
Anderson, Terry. “1968: The End and the Beginning in the United States and Western Europe.” South Central Review 16, no. 4 (1999): 1-15.
Shi, David, and Tindall George. America: A Narrative History. 10th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy through both his terms can be characterized by a strategy of achieving “peace through strength.” He believed in the protection of US interests through competent intelligence and armed forces and did not shy away from interventionist policies. His policies were supported by most conservatives, who also despised Communism in all its forms, but the approach also faced criticism for its aggression and imperialism. Reagan believed that the Cold War was a life or death struggle for America as a nation.
In his first term, Reagan took an aggressive stance, turning away from the established status quo of détente and had the full intention of challenging the Soviet Union on the global arena. One of the first policies was the Reagan Doctrine which announced military and financial support to any anti-Communist resistance movements around the world. Reagan also unleashed the CIA, beginning covert intelligence and paramilitary operations to help overthrow Communist-friendly regimes. In the early 1980s, the CIA began arms shipment to the mujahidin in Afghanistan in order to maintain resistance through guerilla war against the Soviet Union (Moss and Thomas 2012, 248).
With the help of his Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Reagan began a tremendous arms build-up, almost doubling US military spending to $360 billion in 1986. Furthermore, Reagan began placing US missiles in Western Europe which led to angry responses from the Soviets but forced both sides into a nuclear arms deal known as START which began the process of denuclearization in Europe. Meanwhile, Reagan ordered the development of anti-missile shield called a Strategic Defense Initiative which would protect the US in case of a nuclear attack.
Reagan’s second term foreign policy is characterized by a diplomatic approach, attempting to reduce the arms race and begin negotiations with Gorbachev, despite numerous critics doubting the sincerity of the Soviet restructuring initiatives. A further nuclear arms deal, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was signed along with START I. Furthermore, the Soviet Union made a pledge to not intervene in Eastern Europe and withdrew from Afghanistan. Reagan is largely credit with his foreign policy helping to end the Cold War and lead to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The strong approach followed by a diplomatic resolution was vital to his strategy.
Reagan held a relatively hostile view of the Soviet Union, labeling it as the “evil empire.” The primary objective of his foreign policy is considered to initiate the defeat of the Soviet Union through a multilateral approach including diplomatic and economic sanctions. Reagan also provided arms and training for anti-communist oppositions and invested heavily into military buildup, an arms race where the Soviet Union could not compete with its struggling economy.
In his address at the Berlin Wall, Reagan noted that freedom has prevailed, and Communism has demonstrated to the world technological and social backwardness. Towards the end of his term, Reagan did demonstrate some compassion and cooperation, particularly with Gorbachev, in the attempt to re-establish peace and unity to Europe (“Ronald Reagan, Speech at the Brandenburg Gate” 1987).
Prompt II
Ronald Reagan got elected President on a conservative platform, which was gradually rising in popularity through the 1970s. He was a true American, a symbol which represented many aspects of the American dream, charm, and values. In his speech to an Evangelical group, he stated “we will never compromise our principles and standards. We will never give away our freedom. We will never abandon our belief in God” (“Ronald Reagan, Address to the National Association of Evangelicals” 1983). Reagan’s moral standing and passion for re-establishing American greatness and hegemony in the post-Vietnam era strongly contributed to his political rise.
The 1970s saw the United States experience a number of political, social, and economic crises. Politically, America was still recovering from Watergate which significantly compromised public trust in the government and caused. President Ford and Carter which came after Nixon did little to establish stability to American politics. Socially, the US experienced a rise of liberal movements which split the country into different camps.
Conservatism was on the rise amongst white, suburban families and those in power. They saw certain social trends such as the hippies or non-traditional sexual orientations as morally derogatory to America. Finally, the economy was in shatters after almost a decade of mismanagement and erratic economic policies of Ford and Carter attempting to reform the country after Vietnam and during the energy crises. Inherently, Reagan was able to capitalize on these aspects and significant conservative support which sought to re-establish the country as a global power.
Foreign policy was struggling as well after Carter’s failure in Iran which made America more secluded globally. The Soviet Union was expanding its outreach in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Furthermore, the Soviet Union began placing missiles within striking range of key American allies in Europe without significant retaliation. Reagan’s anti-Communist rhetoric was appealing to many conservatives and Americans as a whole who felt that the US has taken a relatively passive approach in the 1970s. Reagan had concrete plans for implementation of foreign policy to resist Communist expansion and attempt to win the Cold War.
Bibliography
Moss, George D., and Evan A. Thomas. 2012. Moving on: The American People Since 1945 (5th ed.). London: Pearson.
In 1982, Reagan suggested several changes in policies that addressed the problem of inflation, slow economic growth, and the increase in national output. The President suggested four major changes that policies needed: a cutback in nondefense spending, increase in defense spending, 30% reduction in marginal tax rates (personal income), and tax depreciation of capital expenditures (Congressional Budget Office, 2016). According to Reagan’s propositions, growth in outlays had to be held below 6% annually, while the share of defense was to be increased from 24.7% (1981) to 33.2% (1984). Moreover, Reagan also proposed 30% reduction in individual income tax rates to reduce taxes in 1982 and 1986 ($43.9 billion vs. $172.6 billion). Business taxes were also to be reduced by means of increased business depreciation allowances (Congressional Budget Office, 2016).
These tax cuts were expected to help the economy grow. However, the administration did not expect drastic changes; in 1982, high inflation and high unemployment rates were still expected. Since the economy was in a state of stagflation, Reagan needed a specific approach to overcome recession.
In 1983, Social Security tax increase was signed into law. This bill addressed the rising unemployment rate, especially among Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance users, by protecting them with coverage and improvements in benefits. For example, employees in non-profit organizations were protected, as well as divorced, remarried disabled widowers, and disabled widowers (Congressional Budget Office, 2016). However, this reform brought additional tax increases and benefit cuts to other citizens, which allowed Reagan take first steps to reduce inflation.
Fiscal Policy Actions
To provide a solution to the problems in the economy, the Administration reduced tax rates, used the Federal Reserve to ensure that money growth was reduced and raised interest rates so that they could slow down inflation. However, the level of nondefense spending was not reduced, and a deregulation policy was not engaged as well (Campagna, 1994). Annual GDP began to grow only by the end of 1983.
Reagan’s aims and policies were built on Keynesian fiscal policy. According to Keynesian consumption function, consumer spending relies on changes in income; therefore, the GDP will grow proportionally to increase of the aggregate savings (Campagna, 1994). Both consumption function and independent investment need to remain stable so that national income can reach equilibrium (Chugh, 2015). Thus, Reagan aimed to encourage investment via tax incentives. However, Reagan’s policy was based on optimistic assumptions, and investments could not increase unless savings had the chance to increase as well.
Reagan’s economics were supply-side economics that allowed economic growth if barriers in the production of goods and services were lowered. Reagan assumed that the tax cut he had proposed would not only stimulate the government to generate more revenue but also help business spend and invest. However, the Congress was not as optimistic as the President was, but Reagan’s propositions eventually resulted in Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982.
Another goal of Reagan’s administration was to increase defense spending. Although not stated as a part of the economic program, this goal was supported by different policies (e.g. program of nuclear defense) (Campagna, 1994).
Fiscal Policy Impact
As it can be seen from the macroeconomic data, Reagan’s economic policies were not as successful as he had expected. First, his decision to engage the laissez-faire theory led to the recession at the beginning of Reagan’s term. Although Reagan’s intentions were good, and with the help of this theory he aimed to resolve the problems that stagflation had triggered, it did not help him avoid recession. By 1984, Reagan was still unable to fulfill the promises that he had announced previously: to reduce government spending and balance the budget (Campagna, 1994). What is more, budget deficit increased in 1984. During Reagan’s administration years, the budget increased by 2.5%; policy changes that were provided either by the Administration or the Congress led to 1.5% increase (Campagna, 1994).
While some may state that Reagan’s policies helped reduce unemployment rates, Campagna (1994) argues that this effect was small and had a rather modest impact. The unemployment rate continued to grow until 1983, although Reagan signed TERFA that was developed to reduce unemployment rates. Due to economic actions of previous presidents, the country was not able to adjust to these changes at first. Nevertheless, labor supply did begin to increase later. Nevertheless, the increase was quite modest. Campagna (1994) states “percentage change in the labor force was 3.8%” (p. 77).
Thus, although Reagan’s actions did influence unemployment rates, they were not significant or of a big scale.
Those achievements that are usually seen as positive (tax cuts and investment in military defense) had brought additional costs to the government and resulted in financial cuts in welfare programs. Employment rates began to increase in the year 1983 until 1988, where they reached their peak under Reagan’s administration. However, before that, in 1982 and 1983, unemployment rates were the highest, which led to electorate’s rising dissatisfaction with the President. While some assume that increased labor supply was one of the best achievements of Reaganomics, others claim that these results seemed good because they were compared to Carter’s presidency. Longley, Mayer, Schaller, & Sloan (2015) argue that the success of Reagan’s presidency relies on “the 18 million jobs that the American economy produced during the 1980s” (p. 55). In 1980, the unemployment rate was 7%, while in 1990 it dropped to 5.7%. However, between 1981 and 1982, approx. 1.9 million jobs were lost (Longley et al., 2015). Nevertheless, although the unemployment rate was over 7% in 1984, Reagan was reelected that year (Flanigan, Zingale, Theiss-Morse, & Wagner, 2014). However, during the 1970s and 1990s, the economy of the USA produced more jobs compared to 1980s, which makes Reagan’s achievements less striking.
It should also be noted that personal savings of Americans averaged 4.5% in the 1980s. Gross national savings also declined, from 19.2% to 15.6% (1980 vs. 1989) (Longley et al., 2015). Consumption increased, which made consumer debt grow to 96.9% in 1990 (Longley et al., 2015). Nevertheless, foreign investment helped the consumption-driven economy of the USA to avoid any catastrophe. What is more, Reagan’s tax cuts allowed citizens of the USA enjoy the prosperity that continued into the 1990s (Longley et al., 2015). Reagan’s ability to adapt and shift from one approach to another helped him to achieve success.
Campagna, A. (1994). The economy in the Reagan years: The economic consequences of the Reagan administrations. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Chugh, S. K. (2015). Modern macroeconomics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Congressional Budget Office. (2016). Web.
Flanigan, W. H., Zingale, N. H., Theiss-Morse, E. A., & Wagner, M. W. (2014). Political behavior of the American electorate. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Longley, K., Mayer, J., Schaller, M., & Sloan, J. W. (2015). Deconstructing Reagan: Conservative Mythology and America’s fortieth president. New York, NY: Routledge.
Nancy Reagan’s participation in the Reagan government has made the significance of researching First Ladies. Few onlookers of the government of Ronald Reagan would distrust the political influence of his wife. Mrs. Reagan was frequently regarded to have had a considerable influence in her husband’s administration, principally in the sphere of individuality. Even though each First Lady regards her role very dissimilarly, investigating the way in which Nancy Reagan completed the position offers insight not only into her historical significance as a First Lady, but also into the universal role of First Ladies within the American political structure.
As a consequence, her impact in the administration was generally accepted. She is frequently described as the most influential First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt. Not only did she frequently attend cabinet discussions, but she regularly arranged working lunches with the president at which policy matters were argues. She served as a substitute for the President on a trip to South America, where she argued policy proposals as well as attended official dinners – a fact that allegedly made many South American leaders very uncomfortable.
Boyhood
Like many other boys growing up in the Midwest after the turn of the century, Ronald was of primarily Irish descent. His father was a tough Irish-American shoe salesman and his mother was of Scottish-Irish descent. This caused the originality of the character among the other presidents, as it is attributed to any Irishman, he was sharp minded, coldhearted and jugmatical enough. Ronald was not completely a hooligan, however, he participated in fistfights, and once launched small rocket, that consequently caused the attendance of the police station. In fact, by the age of eleven he had turned to be quite religious and had chosen for himself that he wished to be baptized.
If he was a revolutionary
Some researchers argue that he was an ordinary politician, who just got the right place in the right time. Some argue that he won the cold war, and that his politics were the key factor in this victory. But the only thing is beyond any doubt: When Reagan came into office he was the leader of what had become a decomposed and disheartened American Military. The Communist ideals had begun diffusing to even more states, and it was with declaration and willpower that Reagan proved the power of the United States. Reagan realized that men can not always discourage enemies with speeches and petitions. Sometimes, it is necessary to take action – real action – to make people recognize that we are severe and committed to protecting our charges.
Domestic policy goals
The fact is that, during the late 1970s and most of the 1980s, the country was in a deep downturn. Energy charges increased, inflation was elevated, and the level of unemployment was high. Consequently, Americans wished changes. President Reagan started his presidency with distinct aims to make those changes. Exhausted of decades of tolerant social regulations, Reagan desired to decrease both the dimension and role of government in the United States. His domestic policy strategy concentrated on reducing taxes, stabilizing the budget, retreating maintenance from societal safety strategies, and returning some authorities to the state administrations. Reagan suggested that if the US could achieve these aims, the federal government could keep billions of dollars and improve the financial system at the same time. It all outlined in the increase of the national debt, because the reducing of taxes caused the annual borrowings, and the debt reached the meaning of $1 trillion. As a result, in lots of spheres people lost their jobs.
US-USSR relations
As the key element of his defense doctrine, President Reagan watched over the expansion of the most progressive weapons systems ever arranged by the US military forces, such as MX ICBMs, Pershing II IRBMs, cruise missiles, strategic bombers and nuclear submarines. The Soviet Union arranged comparable upgrading of its armories.
In March 1983, Reagan offered so-called Strategic Defense Initiative, SDI, often called as Star Wars – a wide-scale study and expansion attempt claimed to create an antimissile defense system. The president and his followers considered that SDI would be proficient of protecting the US from the Soviet nuclear hazard. Nevertheless lots of critics rowed that the system would be susceptible to space weapons and it could slant a wobbly balance between two super powers. As soon as Gorbachev protected his post in Kremlin, he initiated political improvements at home and started seeking better relations abroad. Despite his famous anti-Communist speechifying, Reagan consented to a series of meetings with Gorbachev, which finally produced key agreements to restrict inefficient arms race.
Thus the relations may be characterized as the distant rivalry with the following search of the peace.
Foreign policy
The Foreign policy of the Reagan Administration was characterized by a strategy of “peace through strength” followed by a warming of relations with the Soviet Union, once the reformer Mikhail Gorbachev rose to power, and a peaceful end to the Cold War.
As part of the policies that became known as the “Reagan Doctrine,” the United States also offered financial and logistics support to the anti-communist opposition in central Europe and took an increasingly hard line against communist governments in Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, and Nicaragua.
Taking into account all the circumstances of his presidency, it is necessary to mention, that the main his aim was to help the world achieve balance, and prevent the global war. It in no way means that USSR wanted to outbreak this war, but the global situation was too close to the war.
Chief executive
In 1983 Peter Robinson joined the President’s staff, serving almost five years as Speechwriter and Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. Now there comes along a significant book that offers us still more profound insights into the ex-president by an ex chief executive – indeed, by the man who really wrote the Berlin speech calling stating that the wall to be down.
Robinson’s research of Reagan, made easier and deeper by the admission of a speechwriter has, has created a moving explanation of how the president expanded and recovered his nature To speak usual language, Reagan promoted the habits of desirable quality – particularly, industry, unselfish love, and hope.
Ronald Reagan had an incredibly diverse career that ranged from a Hollywood actor to governor of California and president of the United States. As an actor, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild where he worked with Errol Flynn and others to support the reforms that the actors strike had made available to young actors. As the president, he initiated the Strategic Missile Defense System or “Star Wars”, proposed bold programs to create the prosperous United States in a peaceful world, and brought about an end to the Cold War. Reagan believed that being the president was the greatest role that he played while he was often underestimated because of his history, however, he was one of the greatest presidents America has had.
Main body
Ronald Reagan’s life can definitely be considered a success story. His parents were poor and his father was an alcoholic, he went to an obscure college run by a religious organization and most of his classmates wanted to become teachers or ministers. His grades were never stellar and his goal after college was to become a sports announcer or an actor (Cannon, 34). When he graduated from Eureka College it was during the depths of the Depression job prospects were slim. During that time one-fourth of all Americans was out of work he convinced a radio station manager to hire him as a part-time sports announcer. A few years after that he took a screen test and became an actor. He became an expert on the film industry and president of the Screen Actors Guild which, he believed was one of the best forces for good in the movie industry. He led the guild in their only strike and when his films went out of style he switched to television (Cannon, 33).
Ronald Reagan started his political career when he spoke on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Reagan’s speech was very powerful, however; Goldwater lost the election to Lyndon Johnson the following week. After giving that speech and others he was sought out by the Republican Party as the perfect individual to run against the incumbent governor Pat Brown. When he was running for governor his main campaign points illustrated in his Time for Choice speech in 1966 emphasized getting the welfare “bums” back to work and cleaning up the mess at Berkley. After his win in California Reagan worked to change the political landscape while knowing little about the legislative process used his time in California to learn the in’s and out’s of government. He left office after two terms with constructive changes in welfare, education, and tax legislation (Cannon, 12).
During his terms in office both as a governor and president, his speeches followed several main themes. These themes included a love of country, distrust of government, glories of economic opportunity, the dangers of regulating business, and the wonders of free-market and trade (Cannon, i).
The Iran-contra affair was a difficult patch in Reagan’s presidency when it was discovered. The affair was actually two-fold. The first was the administration’s covert program of arms sales to Iran in exchange for the release of the American hostages by the terrorist group Hezbollah (Wroe, 5). The program originated in Israel but was brought to America in 1981 when president-elect Reagan authorized the supply and replenishment of weapons with Iran in return for the release of the hostages being held in the American embassy. The deal resulted in the release of very few of the hostages. Throughout the operation, it was always in the belief that more hostages would be released unfortunately as with most deals with terrorists they did not carry out their side of the bargain. The operation caused problems for Reagan’s administration for three reasons.
The first was that it went around allies of the United States and Operation Staunch which prohibited the supply of weapons to any government or power supporting terrorism. Second, the Intelligence Committees had never been informed of the arrangements (Wroe, 10). Third trading arms-for-hostages is a bad idea that goes against the Western belief in not making deals with terrorists. The second affair was the covert operation supplying the contras who were a terrorist group located in Iran to go to Nicaragua with equipment and weapons (Wroe, 24). The Iran hostage situation was resolved during Reagan’s inaugural speech when they were released by the terrorists. The hostages had been held for 444 days.
During Reagan’s first term of office, he took advantage of an opening on the Supreme Court to nominate Sandra Day O’Conner the first female nominated and appointed to the Supreme Court. While he knew that it was impossible to know how a judge would act after they had been appointed he wanted to appoint the most responsible and politically neutral jurists he could find. While he was not looking specifically for a female, he wanted a judge who would be able to interpret the Constitution rather than try to rewrite it through various rulings (Reagan, 111). He had instituted a system in California for selecting judges, it used a combination of lawyers, judges, and citizens from the community to select the best-qualified candidate for the position and used that system as the basis for selecting individuals for the Supreme Court. That system created a shortlist of potential judges and after meeting several individuals on the list, Reagan decided that Sandra Day O’Conner was the best individual for the position (Reagan, 55).
On March 30, 1981, there was an assignation attempt on Reagan and he spent several days in the hospital recuperating. Reagan remained focused on his presidential duties even at a time of personal weakness. During the healing process, Reagan decided to attempt opening a dialogue with the Soviet Union. He did this by sending a letter to Leonid Brezhnev who was the leader at the time. In the letter, Reagan addressed why he lifted the grain embargo that prevented U.S. farmers from selling grain to the Soviet Union that had been in place for several years (Noonan, 169). While members of his administration were not pleased with the decision and attempted to talk him out of personally sending the letter or at least allowing the State Department to rewrite it, Reagan persisted and sent the letter. Unfortunately, the letter did not have the desired results and in the response, America was blamed for starting and perpetuating the Cold War.
While the first communication was not successful how Reagan handled the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) showed the world that he was willing to make hard decisions to improve a situation. In 1981 the contract PATCO held with the federal government was up and they chose to demand a 100% pay increase to prevent a strike. PATCO believed that their demands would be met in order to prevent an economic and political crisis. Since they were federal government employees any strike would be illegal. While Reagan considered other alternatives he issued a statement informing the union that any strike would be illegal and would not be tolerated by the government. The message was ignored and several weeks later the union proceeded to strike. Reagan gave them 48 hours to return to work or they would be terminated. While this strike involved a union it was also a threat to national security (Noonan, 225). Without the air traffic controllers, there was no way to defend the sky. The controllers had to go back to work as soon as possible to protect America. After the two-day deadline had passed only 30% of air traffic controllers had returned to work and everybody who remained on strike was fired. When asked about his decision Reagan’s answer was simply that those individuals fired themselves when they participated in an illegal strike (Noonan, 226).
The way that Reagan handled the strike created a domino effect on different aspects of American life. The new system streamlined air traffic control and created a safer system, the pattern for wage negations for the next eight years had been set throughout all levels of government, foreign governments saw that Reagan would not allow public opinion to prohibit him from acting, and most importantly it showed the Soviet Union what type of man Reagan was (Noonan, 226).
Before Reagan was president the United States was engaged in mutually assured destruction (MAD) with the Soviet Union, neither country could send nuclear weapons against the other because of the assurance that while one country would be destroyed the other country would be destroyed along with it. Reagan believed that there was a better way to assure the safety of the United States. On March 23, 1983, Reagan addressed the nation and told them of his dream of a Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or in other words a missile defense shield (Noonan, 281). While the technology was not yet available, Reagan believed that SDI was a significantly better alternative to MAD and offered once the technology was developed to give it away to any country that asked (Noonan, 281). He did not want to use it as a bargaining chip in treaty negations but rather use it to stabilize the world and neutralize the threat nuclear weapons posed.
The concepts of SDI were met with skepticism and distrust from both the American government and foreign governments especially the Soviet Union. Several concerns that were reiterated were the lack of available technology, the perceived cost of research, development, and implementation as well as the existence of treaties with other countries prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons (Noonan, 290). While Reagan had the vision to see a different path it was difficult for others to understand why it was important to find a better way. Opponents of SDI coined the term “Star Wars” in an attempt to discredit and derail the project (Noonan, 289). The Soviet Union was a vocal opponent of the SDI program in an effort to maintain its status as a world power. If they lost the threat of their missiles then their status as a world power could be lost.
When General Secretary Chernenko of the Soviet Union died, Mikhail Gorbachev was chosen as his successor. In an attempt to open communication with the Soviet Union one of Reagan’s aids was dispatched to the funeral with a personal letter from Reagan to Gorbachev. This letter eventually led to a meeting in Geneva on November 19, 1985. At this meeting, SDI was a reoccurring topic as Gorbachev was convinced that the program was concealing the first strike capabilities of American nuclear weapons and was skeptical of Reagan’s promise of sharing it with the world (Noonan, 293).
While this meeting did not resolve any of the situations it opened a dialogue between America and the Soviet Union that was unprecedented. After the summit, Reagan and Gorbachev exchanged letters disusing various topics but always revolving around the SDI program. In one such letter written in January 1986, Gorbachev pledged that in exchange for the discontinuation of the SDI program the Soviet Union would disable all of its intermediate force nuclear weapons in Europe such as the SS-20, agree to a moratorium on nuclear testing and consider the elimination of all nuclear weapons from Soviet and American soil (Noonan, 295). While Reagan believed that it was a public relations move he was concerned about several issues including how to negotiate a treaty that was verifiable and honest, how to tackle the issue of the long-range nuclear missiles that were present in overwhelming numbers in the Soviet Union, what would happen if one of the Soviets allies attacked America with a nuclear device and most importantly SDI was the most promising means of ending the threat of nuclear war (Noonan, 295).
This letter combined with other events resulted in the second summit meeting of Reagan and Gorbachev in Iceland in 1986. At this meeting, Reagan spoke about his concerns with Soviet actions in the world including the continuing invasion of Afghanistan, Communist attempts of subversion in third world countries, human rights, and the plight of thousands of Jews who were forbidden to leave the Soviet Union but abused within the country (Noonan, 295). While these topics were discussed Reagan was unable to make any headway, however, on the topic of arms reduction the possibility of making significant changes was raised by eliminating all ballistic missiles in ten years, decreasing other methods of nuclear delivery systems, and the creation of a verification procedure that was acceptable to both the Soviet Union and the United States. Reagan was optimistic until Gorbachev insisted on the discontinuation of the SDI program in order for the deal to go forward. Reagan reiterated his points on the SDI program and when Gorbachev insisted on its inclusion for the treaty to be finalized, Reagan refused and the negotiations ended. Diplomatic channels remained open and letters continued to be exchanged between the two leaders.
In 1987 when Reagan was visiting Berlin he made a speech at the Berlin Wall about freedom and democracy at the end he included a challenge to Gorbachev:
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall (Reagan “Berlin Wall Speech”)!
Four months after Reagan made that speech in Germany, Gorbachev asked for another summit this time in Washington. At that summit, they finally agreed to a treaty banning all intermediate-range weapons with consensual audits by other countries (Noonan, 295). While Reagan appeared to have everything to gain from accepting Gorbachev’s terms while in Reykjavik; such as increased respect and the presentation to the world of undreamed progress. Unfortunately, the acceptance of that deal would have reestablished the MAD system of the nuclear standoff and allowed the Soviet Union to continue as a Communist world power (Noonan, 296). Because he did not the Soviet Union eventually fell, destroyed by many factors but by lacking the economic ability to compete with the United States.
Reagan’s presidency while focusing on eliminating nuclear weapons also responded to other crises such as when the Challenger exploded. The Challenger was originally built to transport materials to the space station. It flew nine successful missions before lifting off for the tenth time in 1986. Later investigations showed that the cold weather conditions present in Florida caused the O rings to shrink resulting in the leakage of fuel down the side of the rockets and the subsequent explosion. President Reagan and Nancy Reagan addressed the nation later that afternoon and joined America in mourning the death of seven heroes’.
Looking back at Reagan’s presidency he was responsible for increasing America’s military presence understanding that Russia did not have the financial strength to continue with an accelerating arms race and understanding that having a strong military would create opportunities for negotiations to end the Cold War. He preached a message of freedom that he hoped would encourage people in Eastern Europe that was heard loudly when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. The countries that had been engulfed by the Soviet Union had regained their independence and the Soviet Union returned to its origins as Russia (Cannon, 240). His effect on the domestic front while difficult to see during his presidency was also impressive. One of his accomplishments was leaving the United States with a surplus that was made possible through decreases in military spending after the end of the Cold War.
Conclusion
Ronald Reagan died June 5, 2004, after suffering from Alzheimer’s for several years. Characteristically when he has diagnosed with the disease in 1994 after a routine visit to the doctor, Reagan wrote a letter to the American public detailing his diagnosis and explaining his reasons for speaking about it with the public. He was part of a celebrity culture that believed that celebrities could increase positive awareness of a problem (Cannon, xv). He followed the example of Franklin Roosevelt who helped raise money to fight polio by supporting The March of Dimes. The letter that Reagan wrote is in his style translating his experiences into a universal message. He is survived by his wife Nancy Reagan who had continued her protection of him through his presidency and his illness and his children.
Works Cited
Cannon, Lou. President Reagan; the Role of a Lifetime. New York, NY, 1991.
Noonan, Peggy. When Character Was King. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 2001.
Reagan, Ronald. An American Life; Ronald Reagan. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1990.
Reagan, Ronald. “Berlin Wall Speech”. 1987. Web.
Reeves, Richard. President Reagan; the Triumph of Imagination. New York, NY: Simon&Schuster, 2005.
Wroe, Ann. Lives, Lies & the Iran-Contra Affair. London, England: St. Martin’s Press, 1991.
What was “Reaganomics”? Describe the difference in the state of the U.S. economy from when Reagan took office in January of 1981 until he left in January of 1989. Was this change a positive change? Explain
Reaganomics was a conservative approach to economic policy which occurred with Reagan being elected president. It no longer relied on the Keynesian theory of tax cuts to boost consumer demand. Instead, it used a supply-side strategy that cut both government spending and taxes, which allowed the private sector to invest in the economy and shape it to their needs, generating economic growth and jobs. Reaganomics focused on cutting critical social spending and eliminating the welfare state, with a safety net being created for those truly in need. In turn, military spending was increased dramatically. Reagan effectively acted upon popular support of the public, primarily excited about significant tax cuts (Moss and Thomas 2012, 232-234).
When Reagan took office in 1981, the economy was experiencing years of stagnation with high inflation as well as high unemployment. The interest rate was at its peak in 1981. Reaganomics was ineffective at first, leading to the highest unemployment rates since 1941 and a significant government budget deficit. Interest rates caused homes and cars to become too expensive for many Americans. Inflation showed a downward tendency as the only positive indicator.
However, by the second term, Reagan slightly shifted monetary policy which led to economic recovery. Inflation dropped below 4% and unemployment stabilized around 6% (Moss and Thomas 2012, 238). Tax revenues also began to increase exponentially which despite a budget deficit was able to mitigate any economic crises. Reaganomics is believed to have brought on one of the most prosperous periods of the US economy as all positive indicators grew by several times and many new jobs were created.
What is a “Go-Go” economy? Was the U.S. economy in the 1980s a “Go-Go” economy? Explain
Go-Go economics is a term which describes rapid and active development characterized by economic growth. It is a period of significant investments, revenue, and expansion of business and financial operations. Economists consider these periods to occur approximately every half a century as there seems to be endless growth during a Go-Go economy. However, such active growth can be dangerous as it is usually followed by a steep recession and near-zero growth with radical shifts in political and economic orders and policies (“The mysterious death of the go-go economy” n.d.).
The 1980s would not be considered a Go-Go economy as there was significant instability in the earlier years of the decade with the adoption of Reaganomics. As growth increased towards the end of the decade there were a number of troubling economic trends such as Wall Street mismanagement and misrepresented financial deals as well as large purchases of US property from foreign investors and transfer of US production overseas leading to global interdependence.
The deregulation of the savings and loan industries led to a number of high-risk operations. Furthermore, some regions such as the Midwest experienced deteriorating economic conditions (Moss and Thomas 2012, 241-242). Overall, the Go-Go period of rapid growth did not begin until the latter years of the decade and the term can be applied to the 1990s rather than the 1980s.
Who were the “Culture Warriors”? Assess their impact on the U.S. during the 1980s
Culture Warriors was a movement, primarily conservative, which was propagating far-right ideologies. For example, that America was experiencing moral decline and that liberal causes were at fault for dividing the country with marginalizing cultural changes (Moss and Thomas 2012, 268). Culture warriors were primarily active in the 1990s but had their roots in the 1980s as conservative ideologues such as Reagan took office and gained popular followings.
The 1980s technological breakthroughs allowed people to experience popular culture through new forms of media. Television became more readily available along with a video cassette recorder (VCR). The main broadcasters saw competition from private cable channels which could cater to particular ideologies. Computers began to see at-home use. Culture warriors clashed in all aspects of popular media and vital cultural discussion topics such as sexual freedoms and drug use.
The Right often saw popular media as detrimental to American values, particularly in advertising sexual promiscuity and abortion. As Americans began to become exposed to these important issues through media, it had real-life consequences. Republicans which took office under Reagan significantly stifled pro-choice and abortion supporting legislation and groups. Furthermore, with the emergence of the AIDS epidemic, the homosexual community was stigmatized while the Reagan administration did little to address it. These aspects had profound social impacts on the U.S. for the next decade (“Culture Wars of the 1980s” n.d.).
What was the Iran Contra scandal? What effect did it have on politics and society in the U.S.? Explain
The Iran-Contra Affair was an international political scandal which occurred in 1986. Information emerged that the Reagan administration was conducting secret negotiations with Iran concerning the release of American hostages in Lebanon in exchange for arms sales to Iran.
The deal was further scandalous because the Attorney General discovered that the funds from weapon sales to Iran were redirected to Contra rebels in Nicaragua which was strictly prohibited by Congress passed legislation. Therefore, this violated two laws: the sale of weapons to Iran which was under embargo, and the financing of rebels in Nicaragua. Reagan vehemently denied any involvement in the matter, directing blame to Oliver North of the National Security Council who was the primary subject dealing with the matter (Moss and Thomas 2012, 257).
The scandal was in large more impactful than Watergate, severely damaging U.S. foreign policy. Many American allies such as Saudi Arabia felt betrayed by the weapon shipments to forces destabilizing the Middle East. Meanwhile, domestically, there was a public condemnation of secret operations which violated the will of Congress, public opinion, and ultimately broke the law. The scandal caused a Constitutional crisis of sort as Reagan’s administration violated an important principle of checks and balances by circumventing a Congressional ban. After Reagan was out of office, many of the involved officials were put on trial and sentenced for numerous felonies including conspiracy, fraud, and perjury, although President Bush eventually pardoned all participants.
Describe the impact of the Rehnquist court. How did their rulings affect American society? Explain
Over the course of his presidency, Reagan appointed over 400 federal judges, including Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia, and a new chief justice William Rehnquist. These judges had a profound involvement in driving Reagan’s policy, swinging many decisions in a conservative direction. It led to the removal of some rights from those accused of crimes as well as putting limits on affirmative action (Moss and Thomas 2012, 244).
Rehnquist court sought to restrain a rapid liberalization which was ongoing during the preceding Warren Court, but it was not blindly conservative. Rehnquist court attempted to take into consideration the public sentiment in the U.S. and was notable for its collaboration amongst Democrats and Republicans after Bill Clinton appointed two moderate judges. Most of the judges were notable legal scholars and independent from political pressures.
Their rulings had significant impacts on American politics and society. As previously mentioned, the court declared affirmative action or preferential treatment based on race as unconstitutional. Death penalties became more popular and inmates could no longer appeal multiple times postponing the execution. Religion was allowed to have a more vital role in politics, taxes, and education as long as a state religion was not established. Finally, its biggest impact was the promotion of federalism which gave states more rights at the expense of the federal government. The Rehnquist court often ruled against the federal government and put significant restraints on power (Healy 2016).
Advertisements promoting the use of tobacco products have long been prohibited by policy-makers in the United States as well as other countries (Warner 353). This paper is aimed at examining one of such advertisements featuring Ronald Reagan. In particular, it is necessary to show how the designers persuade the audience to purchase cigarettes, namely Chesterfield (“Ronald Reagan Cigarette Advertisements Pics.”).
Ronald Reagan Cigarette Advertisements Pics.
Much attention should be paid to the use of ethos, logos, and pathos because they throw light on how the marketing messages are communicated the audience. Overall, the advertisement lays stress on the credibility of the actor who was featured in many films. In the late forties, he could be regarded by the viewers as a role model by male buyers, and his behavior could often be emulated by other people. These are the main questions that should be discussed more closely.
Overall, this advertisement depicts a young man who signs Christmas presents to his friends or relatives. He wears a business suite, and to a great extent, he symbolizes success or prosperity. Much attention should be paid to the personality of Ronald Reagan who played the role of very strong or independent individuals who could fight against insuperable odds. It should be mentioned that this image was created in 1948 (“Ronald Reagan Cigarette Advertisements Pics.”).
Additionally, this poster features a pack of Chesterfield cigarettes. This object is placed at the forefront of the picture. Additionally, this poster includes the caption which says that Chesterfield are “mild” cigarettes that do not have any “unpleasant any taste” (“Ronald Reagan Cigarette Advertisements Pics.”). These are the main elements that can be singled out. One should also mention that this advertisement does not include any messages about the negative effects of smoking.
The visual argument put forward by the designers consists of three elements, namely, ethos, logos, and pathos. At first, one should speak about the appeal to the credibility. In this case, one should speak about the credibility of the actor who promotes Chesterfield cigarettes. To a great extent, he can be viewed as an authority figure that should be emulated by other people, especially young males who age ranges between the 20 and 40.
Again, one should mention that Ronald Reagan played many characters who were recognized by the target audience. This particular example demonstrates that in the late forties, the producers of cigarettes focused primarily on male customers. Moreover, this advertisement shows that the ethos is often based on the involvement of celebrities such as actors.
In many cases, they are supposed to make marketing communications more convincing (Verdon 110). The main problem is that advertisers do not usually explain why some celebrities should be viewed as authority figures. One can say that this approach continues to be popular nowadays.
Moreover, one should mention that logos or appeal to rationality plays a less significant role in this advertisement. In particular, it does not include any message that can show that a person has sufficient reasons to smoke or prefer Chesterfield cigarettes to other brands. This is one of the limitations that should be taken into consideration because it suggests that commercials do not necessarily attach importance to logical reasoning which is necessary for proper decision making.
As it has been said before, this advertisement does not include any statements about the dangerous effects of smoking. Therefore, the audience is not allowed to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of such behavior. At the time, when this advertisement was released, advertisers were not required to do it (Warner 353). So, one can say that the social and cultural norms have considerably evolved since the late forties.
Finally, it is important to speak about pathos or appeal to emotions. In particular, one should speak about the need of the audience to experience such emotions as confidence and satisfaction. More importantly, this advertisement emphasizes people’s desire to belong to the empowered social groups.
Ronald Reagan represented this group, at least in the opinion of the majority (“Ronald Reagan Cigarette Advertisements Pics.”). The advertisement is supposed to demonstrate that these feelings can be derived from smoking these particular cigarettes. To a great extent, the audience is manipulated into buying a particular brand of cigarettes. In particular, the potential buyers are not allowed to make an informed decision.
On the whole, these examples show how the audience can be influenced by the mass media, especially advertisers. In particular, this discussion shows how different marketing messages can be combined in order to prompt a person to take a certain step. In this case, advertisers attach importance to the credibility of the actor who promotes cigarettes.
Thus, Ronald Reagan is supposed to act as a role model. His lifestyle is supposed to be emulated by the audience. Moreover, the viewers are made to associate themselves with upper classes. Thus, this advertisement shows how the audience can be manipulated. They are not prompted to evaluate the advertisement critically. These are the main details that can be distinguished.
