History of the United States (1980-1988)

The eighties are dedicated to the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. President Reagan gave the American people again self confidence. The president described by opponents as cowboy had a ongetemperd optimism and confidence in the United States which he called a helderschijnende city on a hill . After a slow start, the economy fueled strong due to Reagan's tax cuts. The downside of his policy was a rising budget deficitto record highs. It was contested by cutting back on all sorts of matters, among other things on the search for alternative energy that Carter had received a hefty injection by his predecessor.

In foreign policy, according to critics, Reagan was energetic and reckless. He was a fervent anti-communist and recoiled not to use harsh language towards the Soviet Union. Also, he led the arms race (Project Star Wars) back on to the Soviet Union to get on the knees and financially supported the Afghan rebels who fought the Soviet occupation (Afghan war (1979-1989)).

Along with his kindred spirit and good friend Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, he saw in the in 1985 at the helm come Soviet leader Gorbachev a liaison officer.

Reagan won a huge election victory in 1984 where he managed to 49 States to draw. His second term was also marked by the Iran-Contra affair in which there are illegal weapons from Iranwere funneled to the Contras in Nicaragua . At the end of his two terms was Reagan one of the most popular Governors. The growing economy and the restored confidence of a strong America, as well as his contribution to the end of the cold war made for this, although the question is how much Reagan contributed to the end of the cold war or that he came only the possibility when it is in the person of Gorbachev presented itself.

When the Soviet Union fell in 1989 and the Eastern bloc put out to public tender the prosperity of the United States grew to unprecedented heights, as well as the debt burden and international entanglements of the country. Social change continued, however, slower than in the 1970s, while the baby boomers put the finishing touches of their revolution.

The changes in the economic policy led to a period of greater economic growth but also to a situation where 95% of that growth in the hands of the wealthiest Americans was 5%. This trend led to increasing differences in income in society. To the poor side of the curve are people getting poorer, which is especially the emancipation process of the black population that since the days of Martin Luther King got going is in the wheels drove. There was a kind of Division in the black community of people who succeed or failed to escape from the ghetto. Another development was that drug use-ever as a sign of self liberation in the 1960s got underway was-now had serious consequences and accompanied by corruption of entire neighborhoods were taken over by the drug traffickers. Under Reagan and his successor Bush to act against it, began the so-called War on Drugs. Many billions were spent to put people in prison, but attempts to educate children better and aware of the need to say No -among others led by the First Lady Nancy Reagan-actually had more success.

In the Middle East was the involvement of the United States is necessarily large. The dependence on foreign oil sources, especially those in the Gulf area, became ever larger. Although the oil price at this time back to a lower level, when the economy came, viewed the us good sure the developments in the region with argus eyes. There was a short-lived American intervention in Lebanonin the long war, but Reagan pulled his troops back quickly when a bomb blast took the lives of many. Though there was support for the regime of Saddam Husayn in Iraq when this large, but attacked by internal troubles weakened neighborIran .