Ronald Reagan on World Order
TL;DR
Ronald Reagan viewed world order as a struggle between freedom and its totalitarian enemies, to be secured through overwhelming military strength and negotiation.
Key Points
He announced a long-term effort in scientific research to counter offensive nuclear missiles, advocating nations turn energies to moving away from the nuclear nightmare on March 31, 1983.
His policy was rooted in the idea that investing in national defense was key to not only contain communism, but to defeat it under the banner of 'peace through strength'.
He called for a renewed sense of mission after the Soviet empire's defeat, asking what would arise from the ashes of the old world order: a phoenix of freedom or fear on December 4, 1992.
Summary
Ronald Reagan's core position on world order centered on confronting the Soviet Union as an 'evil empire' within a global moral struggle between democracy and its enemies. He believed this order could only be safeguarded through the concept of 'peace through strength,' which required restoring and modernizing neglected national defenses to deter aggression. This strength was intended to incentivize the adversary to negotiate verifiable arms reductions, as he sought to move away from the nuclear nightmare, rather than being paralyzed by it.
His approach was characterized by both ideological offensive and a desire to end the Cold War through engagement, particularly in his second term with the new Soviet leadership. He pursued comprehensive arms control initiatives, insisting that any agreements must be significant, equal, balanced, and effectively verifiable. Furthermore, he believed every country that valued a peaceful order had a role to play in halting the spread of nuclear arms, advocating for clear standards of international conduct.
Key Quotes
With a colourful turn of phrase, the president predicted how 'the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash-heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the self-expression of the people.'
I can think of no more honorable mission for a soldier or his country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ronald Reagan's main principle for world order was 'peace through strength,' which meant maintaining a powerful military to negotiate effectively with adversaries like the Soviet Union. He saw the international climate as a grand moral struggle between democracy and totalitarianism.
Ronald Reagan famously labeled the Soviet Union an 'evil empire' in a 1983 speech, viewing its ideology as fundamentally challenging the basic rights cherished by the United States. He believed that restoring the military balance was necessary to compel the Soviet leaders toward verifiable arms reductions.
Yes, Reagan insisted that arms control was a vital part of his broader policy designed to strengthen peace and stability, not an end in itself. He pressed for significant, equal, and verifiable reductions in nuclear weapons while building up defenses.
Sources6
Remarks and a Question-and-Answer Session at the Los ...
A New World Order | US History II (OS Collection)
Ronald Reagan and the Cold War: What Mattered Most
Bring Back the Reagan Doctrine
"Democracy's Next Battle"
In Search of a Winning Grand Strategy: Ronald Reagan's ...
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.