Right Turn: American Life in the Reagan-Bush Era

Right Turn examines the political and social transformation of the United States during the Reagan and Bush administrations from 1980-1992. The book analyzes how conservative policies and cultural shifts reshaped American society during this pivotal period. The narrative tracks major developments in economic policy, foreign relations, social movements, and domestic politics through the 1980s and early 1990s. Michael Schaller draws on government documents, media coverage, and other primary sources to construct a comprehensive account of the era. The book explores multiple dimensions of change during these years, from tax policy and deregulation to the end of the Cold War and evolution of the culture wars. Key figures and events are presented within their historical context to illuminate the broader forces at work. Through this historical examination, Right Turn reveals how the Reagan-Bush years marked a decisive shift in American politics and national identity that continues to influence contemporary debates. The work raises fundamental questions about the relationship between government, society, and competing visions of America's role in the world.

Readers highlight Schaller's balanced treatment of Reagan-Bush policies and their socioeconomic impacts. Multiple reviews note the book's clear explanations of economic policy changes and social transformations during the 1980s. Liked: - Detailed coverage of deregulation and tax policy effects - Analysis of cultural shifts and conservative movement growth - Inclusion of primary sources and historical documents Disliked: - Some sections focus heavily on economic minutiae - Limited coverage of foreign policy compared to domestic issues - A few readers found the writing style dry Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (42 ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (14 ratings) One reviewer on Goodreads wrote: "Provides thorough context for understanding the rise of Reagan conservatism without getting bogged down in partisanship." An Amazon reviewer noted: "The economic analysis can be dense at times but the social history makes up for it."

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🔹 Michael Schaller, the author, is a specialist in American foreign relations and served as president of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR). 🔹 The book explores how the Reagan administration's policies led to the largest peacetime military buildup in U.S. history, increasing defense spending from $171 billion in 1981 to $282 billion in 1988. 🔹 During the Reagan-Bush era covered in the book, the U.S. national debt tripled from $1 trillion to $3 trillion, fundamentally altering American economic policy for decades to come. 🔹 The work examines how the 1980s saw the greatest concentration of wealth since the 1920s, with the richest 1% of Americans controlling nearly 40% of the nation's wealth by 1989. 🔹 The book details how the Reagan administration's "War on Drugs" led to a dramatic increase in incarceration rates, with the prison population doubling between 1980 and 1989.