Racialized Populism from Reagan to Trump

• In Event: Race and Politics: New Theoretical and Methodical Insights v. Old Paradigms

Abstract

Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and ascendency to the presidency has given political pundits an unlimited opportunity to incorporate the term “Southern Strategy” into the public dialogue to explain his populist appeals. Their explanations are also used to inform the public how Trump retooled a longstanding political tactic that was formulated by Nixon’s 1968 and 1972 campaigns and used by Reagan in his 1976 and 1980 presidential runs. In the 50 years since Nixon’s 1968 campaign, the Southern Strategy has been reduced to a trope. History shows that it has had a broader impact on American politics. Further, it has served as the foundation for racially conservative populism that normalizes conservative political rhetoric and policy agendas for both Democratic and Republican presidents. A reevaluation of the origins of modern conservatism shows that Reagan, not Nixon, was the architect for racialized populism that informs the 21st century American presidency. Further, the continued negative focus on the undeserving minority has allowed conservatives to remove key components of the social safety net while concurrently eliminating pathways for Americans to enter the middle class. This paper will examine how Reaganism has served as a sustaining influence on conservative populism that inhibits economic mobility and opposes liberal policies that could expand access to the middle class. Therefore, Reaganism continues to be used by conservatives, under the banner of populism, to undermine efforts for significant social reform and the reduction of a racially stigmatized society.

Keywords: Conservative populism, Reagan, racially stigmatizing code words, Southern Strategy

Author

• Stephanie Lynn Williams, University of South Florida