I chose to present the iconic image of President Ronald Reagan, this is due to a number of reasons, the first being the fact that each decade or historical era is remembered largely in association with key leaders at that time. President Reagan, is synonymous with the period of the 80's as his actions while in the white house were viewed as extremely critical for the USA to continue to maintain and promote its political, socio-economic and military dominance (primarily through intervention in Latin American and the Middle East) and its strong position in contest with the USSR.
Reagan, was not only a international icon through his actions to combat communism and promote American industries into international markets, his image domestically was a very unique one. He maintained the position of holding two executive terms as a Republic President, and apart from being the first ex-actor and the oldest president, Reagan, established his own political era, something that usually follows occurrences of vast change within social ideal or economic development. Reagan established conservative right ideology promoting reduced government and tax-cuts and a strong capitalist state that was characterized through large scale military spending, technology advancements and industrial corporate privatization. He initiated early, yet limited gun control legislation and oversaw a decline in inflation and increase in number of unemployed, plus the appointment of the first female supreme justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.
Ronald Reagan, presented a iconic image of the 'American Dream' where anyone, from any background at any age could develop themselves, an image emphasized during a period global 'Americanization'. Although he was symbolic representation of the ruling elite, i.e. WASP, wealthy and republican, and may not have been viewed in a positive light by social and racial minorities with in the USA, but placed the US into a position of economic dominance and social diversity.
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