During the Cold War, there were three people who filled Communists with extreme panic. First and foremost, there was John Paul II, whom the Communists tried to assassinate, and also the politicians Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. The American president was probably the most outstanding leader the United States had and whose guiding lights were the Founding Fathers. He had the ability to combine his simple philosophy with effective political action. He gave the words “truth,” “goodness” and “morality” their proper places in the public debate. This Feb. 6, we celebrated the hundredth anniversary of his birth.
From Actor to Politician
Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Ill. in 1911 and was raised in the town of Dixon. His grandparents were Catholics; however, he was raised by his mother, a Protestant, and his father was an alcoholic. At the age of 17 the future president began his studies in college. His passion was sports, and he became a radio commentator at a local station. After three years, he volunteered for the Army. After that, he traveled to California and began his acting career, appearing in over 50 films. He debuted in 1937 in the movie “Love is on the Air.” Critics regard his role in “Kings Row” (1942) as his best performance.
His calling, however, was politics. In 1941, he testified to the FBI during an investigation regarding Communist influences in Hollywood. In the 1950s, his conservative worldview crystallized. In the 10 years between 1952 and 1962 he traveled around the United States giving lectures on the conservative ethos. He rose as the foremost personality of the American right. In the 1960s, he was elected the governor of California, where he served two terms. In 1968 he lost the Republican nomination for president to Richard Nixon. In November 1980 he was elected president, offering the United States his leadership. He was an unabashed optimist, with a sense of humor and self-deprecation, and a charismatic leader. Before the operation after the failed assassination attempt, he remarked to the surgeons about to operate on him, “Please tell me you’re all Republicans.” He died on June 5, 2004, in California.
The Might of the Free Market
Reagan was a self-avowed anti-Communist and a proponent of the free market. He thought that the government should not take away the savings of the citizens through inflation. For the same reasons he believed in radically lowering taxes. He was also for the deregulation of the economy, and he believed all economic problems stemmed from the government. Under his rule, regulation on the prices of fuel, gas, transportation and telecommunication was abolished. Regulations regarding labor were relaxed, and so were financial regulations. Foreign banks could now invest in the American market. The effects of these changes came quickly. Under Reagan’s presidency the number of American airline companies rose from 36 to 86, the prices of airline tickets dropped sixfold and the annual number of passengers doubled. The price of natural gas fell by a quarter, and the price of phone calls decreased tenfold. It is not necessary to convince anyone that the drops in prices were beneficial for all. The American economy flourished, and the president was seen as the advocate for a new, friendlier economy. The highest income tax bracket was dropped from 70 percent to 28 percent. Corporate taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes and charity taxes were also affected. Thanks to the tax cuts, tax revenue increased (something some modern politicians don’t understand) from $500 billion to $950 billion. The poor had the most to gain from these tax cuts, with 86 percent of Americans increasing their salaries, and 15 percent became millionaires. Inflation was prevented. Jimmy Carter left his successor a 10 percent inflation rate and an eight percent unemployment rate. Under Reagan, the rate of inflation was lowered to 4.8 percent, and unemployment fell to 5.3 percent, below the 5.5 percent natural level of unemployment. Reagan also made spending cuts in his administration, saving almost $1 billion a year. In 1988 the GDP per capita was 30 percent higher than in Western Europe or Japan.
The Victory of Morality
Ronald Reagan sought to put into practice the ethical criteria of Adam Smith, who dictated that the one trait of a good politician should be a deep sense of morality, with everything else being handled by others. He linked his political successes with a strict adherence to his convictions, something that many of today’s conservatives lack. “Prayer has a force comparable to a nuclear weapon and is the best the best tool we have available to solve the problems of the world,”* he remarked. His doctrine had a moral character, and he was of the opinion that no concessions can be made to evil in that he called it out when he saw it. In what was probably his most famous address, on March 8, 1983, to the National Association of Evangelicals, he said, “… in your discussions of the nuclear freeze proposals, I urge you to beware the temptation of pride — the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.”
The Reagan doctrine was focused on destroying Communism without any compromise characteristic for moral liberals. The president foresaw that the USSR would not keep up in the arms race, especially with the “Star Wars” project, which was a missile shield designed to protect the United States. In addition, he actively supported countries fighting Communism, from which Poland, among others, benefited. The White House supported the Muslim fighters in Afghanistan and others in Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Thanks to an oil pact with Saudi Arabia, the Soviets suffered huge losses in the gas and oil markets, as a result of the lowering of prices. Reagan’s determination helped station tactical missiles in Western Europe, all aimed at the territory of the Soviet Union. After the ascendancy of Mikhail Gorbachev, a series of reforms began which ultimately undid the Soviet empire.
Strong Leadership
Ronald Reagan was an excellent speaker, and his success can be attributed to his ability to win over his listeners, even if they were opposed to him. He often repeated himself, believing that the truth must be constantly repeated. For example, when talking about economic issues he always mentioned the time when his father lost his job as a result of the economic crisis.
However, as a statesman, he gave an example of how a head of state should stand in defense of his values. When the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, Regan was one of the most outspoken critics. In the previously mentioned address he said, “You may remember that when abortion on demand began, many, and indeed, I’m sure many of you, warned that the practice would lead to a decline in respect for human life, that the philosophical premises used to justify abortion on demand would ultimately be used to justify other attacks on the sacredness of human life — infanticide or mercy killing.” This prediction has sadly come to pass. Last year, a court allowed a mentally challenged child to die a death by starvation. During his two terms the 40th president was a leader with vision. Though he never cared much for polls, he could count on 60 percent approval ratings. He was a strong and uncompromising character. After martial law was instituted in Poland, he voiced sympathy for the Poles betrayed by their own government. Solidarity received strong financial backing from Washington. Reagan also did not hesitate to put in place economic sanctions against the pro- Soviet Polish government.
During his Christmas address on Dec. 23, 1981, he delivered a moving address to the Polish people, “As I speak to you tonight, the fate of a proud and ancient nation hangs in the balance. For a thousand years, Christmas has been celebrated in Poland, a land of deep religious faith, but this Christmas brings little joy to the courageous Polish people. They have been betrayed by their own government. The men who rule them and their totalitarian allies fear the very freedom that the Polish people cherish. They have answered the stirrings of liberty with brute force, killings, mass arrests and the setting up of concentration camps.”
Discovering the Legacy of the President
Professor Jan Chodkiewicz remembers when he waited seven hours, and along with about 100,000 other people, as they waited to say their last goodbyes to the deceased president. The leader left a rich legacy, highlighted perhaps by his wonderful speeches. His words retain their power long after his death.
On July 1, 2003, a conference dedicated to Ronald Reagan was held in Warsaw, bringing together various conservative Polish elements. This conference resulted in bold new initiatives and the unification of conservative politicians, media outlets and institutions. The presence of politicians such as Newt Gingrich and Mart Laar gave the conservative right an impulse to initiate reforms in Poland. Although at the time it would have been hard to believe, two years later, the left suffered a crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections. To this day there hangs a picture above my desk given to me by the Ronald Reagan Institute showing the presidential couple at a private audience with Pope John Paul II.
It might be helpful to look back at the president’s legacy, especially in times when the freedoms of our country (Poland) are in danger. The Evil Empire may not exist anymore, and the evil that exists is much more camouflaged. However, the traditional enemies of Poland have not ceased to test us. Under attack are the freedom of speech and our economic freedoms, so much in fact, that it is safe to say that the government goes directly against the wishes of the people.
We therefore remember the words of the speech that Ronald Reagan gave in 1985, when he said, “The greatest challenge, before which we stand today in the West, is the same universal challenge, before which the young citizens of Eastern Europe stand: to understand and preserve the values stemming from the right approach to human nature and to the meaning of life. Not until all of us comprehend the true meaning of life, that is the desire to triumph over evil, will we fully appreciate the freedom that we seek. It is the fight for more morality that is the fundament of civilization.”*
The author is the chairman of the Global Institute (www.globalizacja.org)
*Editor’s Note: These quotes, though accurately translated, could not be verified.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.