Ronald Reagan on Communism

Ronald Reagan maintained a consistent and strongly negative view of Communism throughout his public career, framing the ideological conflict as a moral struggle between good and evil. Core to his stance was the belief that the Soviet Union represented an "evil empire" and "the focus of evil in the modern world," a position explicitly stated in his March 1983 speech to the National Association of Evangelicals. He argued that Marxist-Leninist doctrine subordinated morality to class warfare and sought world domination, which required a firm response from the West. His administration's policy sought to counter this spread globally, often supporting anti-Communist "freedom fighters" in places like Afghanistan and Nicaragua, a policy later termed the "Reagan Doctrine."

This hardline approach evolved into a strategy that combined military strength with a willingness to negotiate with new Soviet leadership. While believing the Soviet system was inherently weak and destined for the "ash heap of history," he sought concrete arms reductions rather than merely containing the ideology. This approach culminated in landmark agreements, such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed with Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987. By the end of his presidency, Reagan signaled a shift from confrontation, stating his 1983 "evil empire" description applied to a "different time, another era."