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Barry Goldwater
Historical figureUnited States1909-1998

Barry Goldwater

U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953-1965, 1969-1987) · Republican presidential nominee (1964)

Arizona senator and 1964 Republican candidate for president whose case for small government and hard opposition to communism pushed American conservatism into the mainstream.

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Profile on 12 axes10 of 12 documented
ECONOMYSTATESOCIETYWORLDOwnershipMarketsWelfareAuthoritySecurityStructureMoralityReligionTechnologyCultureTradeForeign
Where they stood

Barry Goldwater, axis by axis

  1. 01Ownership+60
    PublicPrivate
  2. 02Markets+75
    PlannedFree
  3. 03Welfare+75
    SharedSelf-reliant
  4. 04Authority-40
    DemocraticStrong leader
  5. 05Security+15
    LibertyOrder
  6. 06Structure-75
    LocalCentral

    He objected to parts of the 1964 law on the ground that Washington should not control the states or private business that tightly.

  7. 07Morality0
    ProgressiveTraditional

    His early views were conventional. Late in life he backed abortion rights and let gay people serve in the forces, which puts him near the middle.

  8. 08Religion-25
    SecularReligious

    In the 1980s he spoke out against the growing political influence of religious conservatives.

  9. 09TechnologyNo clear record
    EmbraceCaution

    No known position on regulating technology, so this is left null.

  10. 10CultureNo clear record
    MulticulturalNational identity

    The sources give no clear basis on immigration or on questions of national identity, so this is left null.

  11. 11Trade-40
    GlobalProtected

    He followed the usual free-market Republican line on trade, though it was never a main theme of his campaigns.

  12. 12Foreign policy+75
    CooperationStrength

2 axes have no clear record, so matching leaves them out.

Who was Barry Goldwater?

Barry Goldwater ran a family business in Arizona before entering politics. He founded the state's Air National Guard and won a Senate seat in 1952, serving five terms in all. In 1960 he published The Conscience of a Conservative, which called for a much smaller federal government, more power for the states and a tough line on communism. In 1964 he beat the party's moderates to become its presidential nominee, then lost badly to Lyndon B. Johnson. He won only Arizona and five states in the Deep South. Back in the Senate, he grew more libertarian on social questions.

Political views

  • In his 1964 acceptance speech he warned against piling power in a few hands and described the federal system as a brake on government.Source: en.wikipedia.org
  • He floated the ideas of making Social Security optional and selling off the Tennessee Valley Authority.Source: presidency.ucsb.edu
  • He rejected the New Deal approach, and was especially hostile to its close ties with the labor unions.Source: en.wikipedia.org
  • He had backed the 1957 civil rights law but voted no on the 1964 act, because of its sections on public businesses and jobs. He later said the vote was among his biggest regrets.Source: en.wikipedia.org
  • He saw communism as the main threat to world peace and said that keeping the peace took watchfulness and strong armed forces.Source: presidency.ucsb.edu
  • He co-sponsored the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. It reorganized the military's chain of command and strengthened civilian control.Source: en.wikipedia.org

Legacy

Goldwater lost by a wide margin, yet many historians call 1964 a turning point. His run trained a generation of conservative activists, shifted Republican strength to the South and West, and gave Ronald Reagan his first national stage through his speech 'A Time for Choosing'. Admirers such as conservatives and libertarians, praise his steady belief in limited government and his later break with the religious right. Critics say his no vote on the 1964 civil rights law and his talk about nuclear weapons frightened voters, and some historians tie his Deep South wins to a racial realignment. In 1974 he told Richard Nixon to resign.

In their own words

“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination, Republican National Convention, San Francisco, 1964

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Barry Goldwater: questions

Was Barry Goldwater a libertarian or a conservative?

Most people call him a conservative with a strong libertarian streak. He wanted little federal economic power all his career, and late in life he took libertarian stands on abortion and on gays in the military.

What was Goldwater's objection to the 1964 civil rights law?

He said two parts of the law, on public places and on employment, handed Washington too much control over private firms. He had voted for the 1957 civil rights law and later said he regretted his 1964 vote.

How did Goldwater change the Republican Party?

His 1964 campaign drew in activists who wanted smaller government and a harder line on communism. They later helped Reagan win the party and the presidency.

Sources