Reagan Proclaims the Renewal of American Power and Moral Leadership (1981)

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heal them when they are sick and provide opportunity to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory. Can we solve the problems confronting us? Well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic yes. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I did not take the oath I had just taken with the intention of presiding over the dissolution of the world's strongest economy. In the days ahead, I will propose removing the roadblocks that have slowed our economy and reduced productivity. Steps will be taken aimed at restoring the balance between the various levels of government. Progress may be slow, measured in inches and feet, not miles, but we will progress. It is time to reawaken this industrial giant to get government back within its means and to lighten our punitive tax burden. And these will be our first priorities and on these principles there will be no compromise. On the eve of our struggle for independence, a man who might have been one of the greatest among the founding fathers, Dr. Joseph Warren, President of the Massachusetts Congress, said to his fellow Americans,

Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. On you, depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question upon which rests the happiness and the liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves. Well, I believe we, the Americans of today, are ready to act worthy of ourselves, ready to do what must be done to ensure happiness and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children's children. And as we renew ourselves here in our own land, we will be seen as having greater strength throughout the world. We will again be the exemplar of freedom and a beacon of hope for those who do not now have freedom. To those neighbors and allies who share our freedom, we will strengthen our historic ties and assure them of our support and firm commitment. We will match loyalty with loyalty. We will strive for mutually beneficial relations. We will not use our friendship to impose on their sovereignty, for our own sovereignty is not for sale.

As for the enemies of freedom, those who are potential adversaries, they will be reminded that peace is the highest aspiration of the American people. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it; we will not surrender for it, now or ever. Our forbearance should never be misunderstood. Our reluctance for conflicts should not be misjudged as a failure of will. When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act. We will maintain sufficient strength to prevail, if need be, knowing that if we do so, we have the best chance of never having to use that strength.

Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have. Let that be understood by those who practice terrorism and prey upon their neighbors.

Reagan Proclaims the Renewal of American Power and Moral Leadership (1981)

The final years of the Carter Presidency became known by many commentators as a time of national malaise. Troubling developments in international affairs–most prominently the Iran Hostage Crisis, in which Americans were held captive for over a year by anti-American revolutionaries–seemed to demonstrate U.S. impotence on the world stage. Meanwhile, spiking gas prices and soaring inflation led to economic frustration. Carter himself described how Americans were suffering from a “crisis of confidence.” Ronald Reagan, however, portrayed himself as a leader who could restore American military strength and the country’s role as leader of the free world. In this section of his 1981 Inauguration speech, Reagan proclaims that the United States would resume its crucial role as “the exemplar of freedom and a beacon of hope” for the rest of the world. Many historians argue that, in a time of national crisis, Reagan’s ability to convey a sense of optimism, renewal and sense of national purpose helped explain his political appeal.

Ronald Reagan Inaugural Speech, 1981 | Iowa Public Television | January 20, 1981 This video clip and associated transcript appear from 13:37 - 17:37 in the full record.

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