Reagan: From Humble Beginnings to Global Impact

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Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois, to parents Jack and Nelle Reagan (Britannica). Reagan’s upbringing was not an optimal one. Reagan’s father was an overly ambitious alcoholic whose actions left his family in poverty. (D’Souza, 37). Reagan himself was only a C-average student at Eureka College (D’Souza, 41). Despite this, Reagan managed to become not only governor of California, but President of the United States. President Ronald Reagan’s administration was one the most influential in history, both internationally and domestically, by immeasurably improving the American economy and reconstructing the world stage with the collapse of the Soviet Union. A major move towards Reagan’s goal of “Let’s Make …show more content…

In a blatant manner, Reagan’s simplistic policy towards the Soviet Union was vehemently criticized by such liberal institutions as the New York Times (D’Souza, 137). Another immense accomplishment for Ronald Reagan was his crucial role in transforming the world stage with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
It is undeniable that Ronald Reagan’s approach to the Soviet Union was vital in its defeat. The Encyclopedia Britannica acknowledges that “His policies have been credited with contributing to the demise of Soviet communism.” Reagan had no qualms in confronting the Soviets and communism, as shown when he described the Soviet Union as both an “evil empire” and “the focus of evil in the modern world” (Britannica). Reagan showed his recognition of the eventual self-destruction of the Soviet Union in his speech to the British Parliament: “The decay of the Soviet experiment should come as no surprise to us…The constant shrinkage of economic growth combined with the growth of military production is putting a heavy strain on the Soviet people. What we see here is a political structure that no longer corresponds to its economic base” (D’Souza,

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