The 1980s saw a) government policies to de-regulate business, and b) the re-structuring of the labor market. Briefly describe each trend. How did these two developments affect the relative power and position of business and labor in the 1990s and after?

This is a two-part essay assignment. Answer one question from Part A and one question from Part B, in two short essays of 2 to 3 double-spaced pages each. Be sure to indicate which question you are answering (i.e..Part A, Question 2).

You are expected to develop and substantiate your own argument in these essays. Your essays must be based solely on the assigned readings and lectures; do not use outside sources. Essays will be evaluated for demonstrated knowledge of the course material, strength of argument, the quality and quantity of evidence that effectively supports your claims/argument, and quality of writing.

A few tips: 1) Read the question carefully, and be sure to answer all parts of the question. 2) Be specific about which policy decisions, outcomes, etc. you are using as evidence to make your case. 3) Be careful to avoid simply summarizing lectures, and to avoid redundancy between your two essays.

Please use the readings I’ve provided to write this argumentative essay.

PART A: The 1980s and 1990s
1. The 1980s saw a) government policies to de-regulate business, and b) the re-structuring of the labor market. Briefly describe each trend. How did these two developments affect the relative power and position of business and labor in the 1990s and after?

I’ve provided some information below that should help as guidance and what it should look like for Part A, Question 1. The introduction/argument and first body paragraph

With the election of Ronald Reagan as president in the 1980s, his administration brought about a conservative turn in state-market relations. The federal government would now reduce scale back regulations, and reduce the power of labor. I will argue that the most important causes of this turn were Reagan firing air traffic controllers on strike and hiring new ones to take their place, and the federal government no longer reigning in business as part of his efforts to roll back the regulatory state. Some important consequences that resulted were the declining power of labor, and a worsening standard of living for many employees.
One of the biggest actions the Reagan administration took in this conservative turn of the welfare state was the firing of 11,000 air traffic controllers who were on strike. Reagan was able to fire the controllers because federal government employees are legally forbidden to strike (Rosenberg 248). Afterwards, Reagan hired new controllers to replace those fired and decertified the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization. With his decision to fire the striking employees and decertify the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, employers interpreted these actions as approval for them to start bashing unions and labor in general. Employers started by pushing for longer and more flexible hours from their full-time workers. As this occurred, employers also began replacing unionized full-time employees with nonunion workers that had limited job security.

PART B: Policy Legacies
2. Consider the legacies of the New Deal and the Great Society for the welfare state (both its social insurance and its public assistance programs). How did choices made in these periods affect welfare state policies and politics of the 1980s, and after?

I’ve provided some information below that should help as guidance for Part B, Question 2

Before talking about what changed and what remained the same for welfare state politics in the 1980s and afterward from the New Deal era, it is important to first map out what the welfare state looked like during the New Deal era. During this era, the welfare state was a system of two tiers that was created by the Social Security Act. The first tier consisted of social insurance programs for current/former workers and was considered to be more generous. Meanwhile, the second tier consisted of public assistance programs which were primarily means-tested benefits that centered around AFDC and general assistance at the state level. I will argue that the replacement of Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in the 1990s was one way in how welfare state politics changed. Additionally, I will argue that one way that the welfare state politics represented continuity was the fact that major social insurance programs were left mostly intact.
The first major change was the replacement of the AFDC with TANF in the 1990s, as it severely reduced the aid given under the public assistance tier of the welfare state.

Last Completed Projects