The decade of the 1980s in America was dominated by a cultural, social, and political turn toward conservatism. Ronald Reagan's two-term presidency, beginning in 1980, marked a general shift in societal values, from the emphasis on social justice that characterized the 1960s and 1970s, towards a concentration on individuality and material gain. Reagan's agenda included reducing the size of the federal government and abolishing federal regulations to free up business—big and small—to produce mass quantities of goods and services for a highconsumption economy. On the social and cultural level, a return to conservatism meant an attempt to undo the counterculture lifestyle of previous years, bringing back old-fashioned values and moral standards. For many Americans, this turn translated into less tolerance for individuals and groups that did not fit the prescribed right-wing model, including various racial and.....
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