The 1970s saw a nostalgic return to traditional styles of fashion, architecture, and films depicting earlier decades. Shows like All in the Family confronted social issues through comedy to make intolerance seem foolish. Though Nixon pursued some liberal policies, his EPA and OSHA regulations concerned big businesses like Koch and Coors and right-wing groups like AEI and Hoover began pushing back. Milton Friedman's free market ideas gained traction as the public grew dissatisfied with government. Powell's memo warned of leftist influence and called for business to shape universities. A 1975 report mirrored Powell's concerns about too much democracy. The regulatory critique prepped the way for Reagan's small government message amid economic struggles in the late 1970s.

1. THE 1970’S

2. NOSTALGIA
The Counter Culturalism of the 1960’s marked the end of a cycle of rapid
societal change.
In the 1970’s we had a collective cultural response in fashion, tossing the
polka doted dresses and donning cowboy hats and blue jeans
Architecture shifted toward preservation of old styles
In San Francisco, many homes were even moved to new locations via
trucks to save them from destruciton
Movies glossed over the racist/oppressive details in favor of a wholesome
reimagining of the previous decades

3. ADDRESSING BIGOTRY IN THE HOME
All in the Family is an example of media using the
American working class to confront civil rights, women's
liberation, homosexuality, and changes in the economy
The show uses Archie as a device intended to make
racism and sexism look foolish and unhip
Liberals protested that this “lovable bigot” may have
made intolerance more acceptable to a conservative
audience

4. NIXON YEARS (1969 –
1974)
• He went with the liberal flow and liked being
popular
• He increased taxes on high-income earners
• Established the EPA ad OSHA
• Instituted Affirmative Action Policies
• Grew the welfare state, with federal spending on
social services doubling over his time in office
• He was no friend to big businesses

5. THE RIGHT’S RESPONSE WAS READY
• Koch’s oil refinery was under EPA scrutiny
• Coors faced lawsuits and boycotts for racial discrimination
• The Olin Corporation's DDT pesticide had just been banned
• Environmental regulations, civil rights movements, women’s liberation, abortion rights,
and anti-war demonstrations had all contributed to the right’s concern they were
losing control
• The American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution began to take instant
action to push back against academia, media, politicians, and the legal system.
• Their collective efforts would be aimed at minimizing taxes and repealing new
regulations
• In 1971, 175 companies had public affairs offices in DC

6. MILTON FREIDMAN: A
DOCTRINE
• His views got a boost in the 70’s, thanks to
Stagflation and a growing public dissatisfaction
with government, while he advocated for the
privatization of government functions and
deregulation of the economy.
• The doctrine, also called stockholder theory,
claims that a firm’s SOLE responsibility is to its
shareholders and maximizing their returns

7. POWELL’S INFLUENCE
• The Powell Memorandum was
delivered to the Chamber of
Commerce two months prior to his
nomination by Nixon to The
Supreme Court
• His words served as a warning of the
need to beat back the “Massive
Forces” of the left
• He calls on a defense, using the
resources of big business in
universities to shift the agenda
within institutions
• Was also a board member of Phillip
Morris and represented them
through his law firm until his

8. A LIBERAL PARALLEL
The Crisis of Democracy, authored by a trilateral commission between Europe, The United
States, and Japan in 1975, was democracy’s report card from a liberal perspective
The report raised many of Powell’s concerns, wining about too much democracy, and
for a more passive citizenry.
…..“citizens are too pressing in their public arena demands for the state to accommodate”
The institutions responsible for the indoctrination of the young (Universities, Schools,
Churches) are not doing their job as evident by woman's rights rallies and anti-war protests
Media are becoming too adversarial – maybe the state will have to move in and do

9. C O N T R O L :
A B I PA R T I S A N
A G E N D A

10. THE 70’S PREPPED US FOR REGAN
• A 1987 study in the American Economic Review, The Cost of Regulation: OSHA, EPA, And the
Productivity Slowdown found these agencies to be responsible for a 30% decline in productivity
growth in manufacturing during the 1970’s
• The connection between regulations and a decline in American life was not a hard sell in 1979
• Our manufacturing wasn’t keeping up with the rest of the world and for the first time we were
importing more goods than we exported – cars!!!
• In 1978 58% of Americans agreed government regulations had gone too far and were interfering
with free enterprise, up from 42% the decade prior
• The ”ME” decade gave all groups the go ahead to do their thing, capitalists included

11. NOT LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES
• Carter insisted that restoring Americans’ lack of confidence in institutions and leaders
was paramount
• Americans viewed this as weak and offering no answers to the rising inflation, interest,
unemployment rates, and energy crisis
• They right needed someone to condemn welfare checks, bussing, and affirmative
action while projecting relentless optimism and standing up for family values.
• We got him, and we don’t seem to be immune to logical fallacies in modern politics
either.

12. QUESTION FOR THE CLASS…..
• Does the rising cost of higher education fit into a big business strategy to maintain
control, through debt, of where students choose to work after graduation?
• Does the need for higher earnings thwart those who might otherwise pursue work in
non-profits or take on a social activist career?