1984

This central chapter offers a commentary and analysis of Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign. It does so by locating the election campaign, its key themes and events, within the broader context of U.S. and international politics. In addition, the campaign is contextualised by an exploration of popular culture, specifically movies and music. The contradictions between Reagan’s optimistic message about the United States and the reality of economic and social inequalities are explored. The chapter shows that the successes and controversies associated with the Reagan years correlate around the year 1984.