Today, experts argue that Trump's campaign attempted to do the same thing. The opening night of the Republican National Convention's theme was "Make Our Country Safe Again." While crime in 1968 was through the roof, it's at a historic low today. But despite this, Trump aspired to play to the unrest surrounding social and cultural change. He talks about issues such as taxes, Islamic terrorism, and diversification of America, all of which worry a certain group of the American population.
Trump has said that he does not hope to unify the American people, just as Nixon did, but rather gather enough middle-class support that feels anxiety about the current situation in America. Whether they're worried about police brutality, attacks on the police, or a variety of different issues, Trump hopes to offer a shift in leadership and opportunity for change.
Like Nixon, Trump rode this support to the Presidency and followed up on his claims. While Nixon's foreign policy attempted to end the War in Vietnam, Trump followed through with his Muslim ban and order to construct a wall on the border of Mexico.
Sources:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/donald-trump-law-and-order-richard-nixon-crime-race-214066
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-richard-nixon-rnc_us_578cda12e4b0fa896c3f2b2e
https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/thelife/apolitician/thepresident/
Really cool that you made a connection to current events. I also see the similarities between the two both in their campaigns and actions. It is interesting how different their beginnings are in that Nixon had years of political experience compared to Trump with his years of business experience and yet they both approached their campaigns for presidency so similarly.
ReplyDeleteYou made a really solid and relevant connection in this post. It's extremely interesting how history almost repeats itself over the years- by using fear as a campaign tool, many leaders (Hitler, Nixon, Trump, etc.) have risen to power. Like Sophia said, they both approached their campaigns so similarly, and yet it has continued to be proven effective. If you're interested found a cool source that discusses how fear plays a factor in presidential elections: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/what-past-elections-can-teach-us-about-fear-politics/
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! I like the connection you made between two presidents from entirely different times. This makes the similarities between the two even more interesting and revealing. It also goes to show how history always repeats the same patterns, and more specifically how Americans are susceptible to fear mongering tactics. This website would help to discover more similarities between Nixon and Trump. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/nixon-foreignpolicy
ReplyDeleteVery interesting parallel that you drew between Nixon and Trump. It goes to show that there are repeating themes throughout history, including what presidents campaign for and what appeals to the American public. Both presidents exploited the fear of Americans and the feeling of unrest and anxiety.
ReplyDelete