The Machinery of Oppression

The Reagan Era and the Machinery of Oppression

Ronald Reagan’s presidency (1981–1989) not only reshaped the Republican Party but also had profound long-term consequences on American politics and global policy. Domestically, Reagan doubled down on law and order, expanded the War on Drugs, cut taxes, and slashed social welfare programs, which disproportionately impacted marginalized communities, especially Black and Latino Americans. His administration’s policies widened the gap between rich and poor, with the so-called “trickle-down” economics largely benefiting the wealthiest Americans.

However, Reagan’s focus extended well beyond American borders. The Cold War was still in full force, and Reagan took a hardline stance against the Soviet Union, famously calling it the “Evil Empire.” His administration supported anti-communist movements worldwide, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Afghanistan. In many ways, the Republican Party under Reagan started to shift its gaze outward, positioning the United States as a global hegemon and using foreign policy as a tool for projecting American power.

This intense focus on foreign policy—combined with the steady erosion of civil liberties through domestic criminal justice policies—created a machinery of oppression that was both local and global. Domestically, marginalized communities felt the brunt of the War on Drugs and the decimation of social safety nets. Internationally, U.S. intervention in foreign affairs, particularly in Latin America (Nicaragua, El Salvador) and the Middle East, was often driven by Cold War imperatives but left many countries destabilized.

The Post-Reagan Shift: A Focus on Foreign Affairs

After Reagan, the Republican Party’s focus did seem to shift more toward foreign affairs. George H. W. Bush (1989–1993), who succeeded Reagan, presided over the end of the Cold War and the first Gulf War. The Gulf War was a key moment in U.S. foreign policy, demonstrating the country’s military might and solidifying its role as a global enforcer of order after the Cold War. Domestically, Bush Sr. largely continued Reagan’s policies but spent more energy on foreign policy, especially as the world navigated the post-Soviet era.

Even during the Clinton administration (1993–2001), foreign affairs remained a focus. While Clinton was a Democrat, his administration expanded U.S. involvement in international trade (NAFTA) and interventions (e.g., the Balkans and Somalia), building on the globalist vision Reagan had set. Domestically, Clinton continued to expand the carceral state with policies like the 1994 Crime Bill, further entrenching the machinery of oppression that had been built under Reagan.

Then, in the early 2000s, George W. Bush’s presidency (2001–2009) brought an even greater emphasis on foreign affairs, particularly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The War on Terror became the defining feature of the early 21st century, with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq dominating U.S. foreign policy. Bush’s domestic policies, including the Patriot Act, expanded surveillance and law enforcement powers, continuing the trend of eroding civil liberties domestically while projecting military force abroad. The “machinery of oppression” during this time seemed to pivot outward, focusing on counterterrorism, foreign intervention, and the suppression of perceived external threats.

Obama’s Election: A Surprise and a Shift

Barack Obama’s victory in 2008 felt like a watershed moment for many, and, in a way, it was a surprise. Obama’s message of hope and change resonated deeply with many Americans who were exhausted by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the financial crisis, and the divisive politics of the Bush years. Obama’s presidency symbolized, for many, a break from the past—a departure from the aggressive militarism of the Bush administration and a more inclusive, progressive vision for the country.

However, Obama’s election also triggered a backlash. For some Republicans, his presidency symbolized the culmination of changes they had been resisting since the 1960s. His policies on health care (the Affordable Care Act), social justice, and economic regulation were viewed as a threat to conservative ideals. Moreover, the fact that Obama was the first Black president stoked racial anxieties among segments of the Republican base. This surprise—Obama winning not once but twice—unleashed forces that had been simmering under the surface of Republican politics for years.

MAGA and the Reagan-Era Nostalgia

The rise of Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement can be seen as an attempt to pull back to the Reagan era, or at least to a nostalgic version of it. Trump’s vision of America, much like Reagan’s, was centered on nationalism, a strong military, economic protectionism, and an idealized version of white, middle-class prosperity. The slogan “Make America Great Again” was inherently backward-looking, suggesting that America’s greatness had been lost and needed to be restored—often implicitly to the time when Reagan was president.

Trump’s political messaging appealed to voters who felt left behind by globalization, multiculturalism, and demographic changes that had unfolded since the 1980s. His policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, and his “tough on crime” stance, echoed Reagan-era conservatism. Trump also stoked racial divisions and leaned into the authoritarian impulses that had been cultivated within the GOP over decades.

However, Trump’s version of the Republican Party took these elements to an extreme. While Reagan used coded language to appeal to racial fears (through the Southern Strategy), Trump was more overt, speaking openly about building walls, banning Muslims, and supporting authoritarian leaders. His rhetoric emboldened far-right groups and white nationalists, further pulling the GOP into a space that Reagan-era politics had helped construct but never fully inhabited.

Conclusion: MAGA as a Regression

In many ways, the MAGA movement is an attempt to return to the “glory days” of Reagan-era politics, but with a more explicit embrace of the bigotry and authoritarianism that were always simmering under the surface. Trump’s presidency brought the GOP full circle, doubling down on law and order, nationalism, and a rejection of the globalist, multicultural world that had been growing since the 1980s.

The machinery of oppression—both foreign and domestic—remains intact, but its focus has shifted back to the internal divisions within the country. Where Reagan projected American power outward during the Cold War, Trump’s GOP, through the MAGA movement, turned that same machinery inward, using it to stoke fears of immigrants, protestors, and political enemies. And in doing so, the Republican Party has solidified its identity as a home for those nostalgic for a past that never fully existed—at least, not for everyone.

This cyclical pull toward the Reagan era, magnified by the anxieties of changing demographics and a diversifying America, ensures that the Republican Party will continue to wrestle with its identity for years to come.