Modern American Conservatism

Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) was the fortieth president of the United States. The following selections from three of his presidential addresses—his Inaugural Address (1981), his speech before a convention of evangelical Christians (1983), and his Farewell Address (1989)—provide a compendium of themes that animate and motivate many modern American conservatives. The first theme is fiscal conservatism, low taxation, and minimal government; the second, the importance he attaches to Americans adhering to Christian beliefs and values; the third, a retrospective look at these themes and an added emphasis on what he calls “the new patriotism” praised and prized by him and by many other conservatives.