Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History

by John Patrick Diggins

Affirming Reagan's position as one of America's greatest presidents, this is a bold and philosophical reevaluation. Following his departure from office, Ronald Reagan was marginalized thanks to liberal biases that dominate the teaching of American history, says John Patrick Diggins. Yet Reagan, like Lincoln (who was also attacked for decades after his death), deserves to be regarded as one of our three or four greatest presidents. Reagan was far more active a president and far more sophisticated than we ever knew. His negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev and his opposition to foreign interventions demonstrate that he was not a rigid hawk. And in his pursuit of Emersonian ideals in his distrust of big government, he was the most open-minded libertarian president the country has ever had; combining a reverence for America's hallowed historical traditions with an implacable faith in the limitless opportunities of the future. This is a revealing portrait of great character, a book that reveals the fortieth president to be an exemplar of the truest conservative values. 13 photographs

Genres: Biography, History, Politics

528 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

John Patrick Diggins was a professor of history at the City University of New York Graduate Center, the author of more than a dozen books on widely varied subjects in American intellectual history.

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes an interesting argument. His thesis is that Reagan's political philosophy was more akin to liberalism than conservatism. He writes: "James Madison told Americans that government is essential because not all men are 'angels'. Ronald Reagan told Americans that each and every one of them was a 'hero'." The comparison is meant to highlight the difference in how the two men viewed human nature and the proper role of government.

The author concludes that Reagan's steadfast desire to settle the Cold War through discussion and negotiation, rather than an endless arms race, is evidence of Reagan's liberal faith in the power of verbal persuasion. The author writes: "By putting an end to the suicidal madness of the arms race, Reagan made history. Even if Reagan, like so many others, did not fully envision exactly how communism would fall, he ended the cold war by creating what Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher insisted was the "essential trust" that would be necessary to allow the peaceful exit of the Soviet Union from history." For this, the author argues, Reagan deserves to be considered as one of the greatest American Presidents.

The book is not without its criticism of Reagan despite its laudatory conclusion. The author, for example, takes exception to Reagan's economic policy. His primary criticism is that Reagan was far too inclined to overlook the danger of a materialistic culture that grew as a result of his economic policy and far too unwilling to criticize the people in any form.

One of my complaints with the book is that the author fails to clearly define some of his terminology. For example, he claims that Reagan was "anti-government", but then he proceeds to show how Reagan greatly expanded the size of government in areas like national defense. Likewise, the author repeatedly refers to "neo-cons" or "neo-conservatives" and applies these labels to certain individuals without even once defining neo-conservatism. The second is a rather glaring and irritating omission for a writer who purports to examine political philosophy.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part biography, part intellectual history of Reagan. The author's thesis is that Reagan's optimism led him to develop a philosophy based on the innate goodness of human beings, and that this philosophy is more liberal than conservative. He contrasts Reagan's libertarianism with traditional conservatism, and explains how the major influences in Reagan's life led him to this philosophy. The author has a strong grasp of him subject, but this book is not for everyone. It appears to be a biography, but the first 100 pages focus on intellectual history to the exclusion of biography. The author does show a decent respect for his subject, and creates a balanced text, a bit unusual, given the subject matter.

[Fred Kohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Berman says of John Patrick Diggins, "He was the most philosophical-minded of the American historians." I think that is pretty well demonstrated in this book which, although primarily biography, lays out some interesting arguments about Reagan's political and religious philosophies. This made it hard to follow in spots, and it is a book worth reading more than once (and having in one's personal library). I have reread portions of chapters 8 and 9, and intend to reread chapter 7 before I return this book to the library.

[Henry Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Patrick Diggins was one of the greatest intellectual historians of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In this work, he treats Ronald Reagan as a serious subject, acknowledging his ideas and principles. Diggins argues that Reagan was a disciple of Paine and Emerson, which made him unique amongst conservatives. Although Diggins gets Reagan’s views on the Founders wrong and makes some odd factual errors(he claimed Leonid Brezhnev was alive in 1983 and that Zbigniew Brzezinski was Jimmy Carter’s SOS), he also acknowledged Reagan’s accomplishments without overlooking any flaws or errors. Although it is not the definitive work on Ronald Reagan, it is an interesting and unorthodox study of a great and consequential President. Rating: 3.75/5.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a masters thesis at time. This book tries to debunk some of the Reagan legacy and myths.

Known for being quite a hawk, he won the Cold War without going to war and through much diplomacy. Known for wanting small government, the government grew more than during anybody's administration to date. Some very liberal ways to look at the world, in fact.

Lots of history (especially about the Cold War). It shows that we are all products of our own history and experiences. An interesting man.

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this one up halfway through. I was looking for a biography, but this author is more concerned with setting forth his "bold ideas" and "juicy opinions" about Reagan (book subtitle), which is fine, but not what I was looking for. Maybe I'll come back to it after having read up a bit more on Reagan first.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diggins accomplishes an impressive feat--he manages to be critical of Reagan's faults while simultaneously making the argument for his remarkable role in ending the cold war without an actual war. Neither a liberal nor a neoconservative, Diggins presents what strikes me as a fairly evenhanded analysis of Reagan's presidency.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps a bit too revisionist. Reagan might not be as conservative as some remember him...but I still am not convinced by Diggins's claim that he is a liberal