The Rise of Conservatism: Crash Course US History #41

In which John Green teaches you about the rise of the conservative movement in United States politics. So, the sixties are often remembered for the liberal changes that the decade brought to America, but lest you forget, Richard Nixon was elected to the presidency during the sixties. The conservative movement didn't start with Nixon though. Modern conservatism really entered mainstream consciousness during the 1964 presidential contest between the incumbent president and Kennedy torch-bearer Lyndon B Johnson, and Republican Senator Barry Goldwater. While Goldwater never had a shot in the election, he used the campaign to talk about all kinds of conservative ideas. At the same time, several varying groups, including libertarian conservatives and moral conservatives, began to work together. Goldwater's trailblazing and coalition-building would pay off in 1968 when Richard Nixon was elected to the White House, and politics changed forever when Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal. You'll also learn about the ERA, EPA, OSHA, the NTSB, and several other acronyms and initialisms.
Hey teachers and students - Check out CommonLit's free collection of reading passages and curriculum resources to learn more about the events of this episode. Richard Nixon ushered in an age of conservatism, first rising to the national stage with his Checkers speech: www.commonlit.org/texts/senat...
Nixon’s presidency ended in near impeachment however over the corruption of the Watergate scandal: www.commonlit.org/texts/water...
Chapters:
Introduction: The Rise of Conservativism 00:00
Anti "Big Government" Beliefs 1:32
The Election of 1964 2:45
Why the South Abandoned the Democratic Party 4:19
The Election of 1968 4:42
Nixon and the "Silent Majority" 5:31
Nixon's Domestic Agenda 6:36
Warren Burger 7:19
Roe vs. Wade 8:07
The Decline of Traditional Family Values 8:26
Opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment 9:10
Nixon and the Watergate Scandal 10:27
Mystery Document 12:09
Why Conservativism Gained Traction 13:04
Credits 14:09
Crash Course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up at / crashcourse
Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
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CC Kids: / crashcoursekids

[@thatfighterguy5846]

Political comments 10% Comments warning about political comments 90%

[@Kurvaux]

ThatFighterGuy You forgot 5% hey look at 8:48 the baby came out black!

[@jaralara6429]

Nice profile pic

[@molihua354]

Your profile picture is amazing.

[@thatfighterguy5846]

Chiang Kai-Shek So is yours. I considered having your pic originally, but decided I wanted more blue for contrast and chose this one.

[@helloasroma]

@@thatfighterguy5846 nice profile pic

[@andrewmartin4436]

"People like Medicare" The future is wild, John lol

[@lynjimenez9181]

😄he really made replay that part...i shook my head with laughter

[@duatia5315]

there should have been an asterisk *People who oppose medicare due to fiscal affordability or selfishness as stockholders in big pharma do not like medicare or medicaid

[@moealhakani7005]

Duatia uhm...they love it. They can keep raising the price because they know it’ll be paid for?

[@danilthorstensson8902]

Moe Al Hakani if that’s the case, then let’s get rid of Big Pharma as a private industry entirely or at least prevent them from jacking up prices. We can do that, there’s nothing stopping us

[@moealhakani7005]

Danil Thorstensson that’s a very plausible thing to work toward. I’m not convinced that ridding privatization of pharmaceutical companies is best (I’ll do some more research) as it is an excellent competition *model*. However, it is practically awful right now, and likely because these companies seem to be acting as a cartel currently. They’re all jacking up prices for MINIMAL innovation. And innovation is supposed to makes things more affordable (or at least more effective), yet drugs like insulin are unbelievably high right now. By the way I live in Canada so I’m comparing both systems lol

[@linds7319]

5:54 "stop me if any of this sounds familiar" oh john from the past, if only you knew

[@princekunta]

Even more familiar

[@WKYanks]

Wow, a video about Conservatism that didn't mention Reagan.

[@mythics102]

"In those days, Republicans and Democrats could have civil, human interaction" 😂😂

[@arctictoothpaste]

Actually it was worse, back then they called each other communists/socialists and facists, and absolutely everything even simple films were political

[@rchave]

I'm glad that's all changed now.

[@mrbust999]

Nope they didn't

[@smoore3896]

rchave it hasn’t changed

[@jfpost]

Smoore Sarcasm much?

[@StretchedSquash]

The comments section in this video is going to be a tangled mass of horror and anger. So I'd just like to say that you, dear reader, look very good today. Is that a new shirt? You wear it well.

[@crashcourse]

Thanks! It's not new, but I don't wear it often. I appreciate your attempt to retain some civility here. I agree, this one is probably going to fall apart, comments-wise. -stan

[@dangerouslytalented]

I am not wearing a shirt.

[@StretchedSquash]

dangerouslytalented Go on...

[@slimshady5757]

I'm not wearing a shirt right now lol

[@unixone7558]

+StretchedSquash Well, thank you. It's not new, but thanks!

[@dieter5202]

Wonder why the couple at 08:50 got divorced.

[@AdRam]

Imagine watching this in a future where Roe Vs Wade was overturned.

[@TransitioningBeauty]

lol at 8:45 she's pregnant and the baby came out black and then they got divorced XD

[@WateverWatever04]

omg I didn't notice I'm dead 😂😭

[@PuddintameXYZ]

I didn't either, that is some amazing subtle humour

[@rickmo5585]

it means she cheated on him

[@PuddintameXYZ]

Soviet Doge​ Thanks, Captain Obvious! 😐

[@rickmo5585]

+THEx141xMAN you're welcome

[@dylandavis3202]

Quarantine: exists *Kids watching Crash course for school* John: stonks

[@galindoof]

"History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes."

[@ngusumakofu1]

Come on man! How could you do a whole show on conservatism without mentioning the role of Regan?

[@thelinedrive]

Because Regan is honestly just a greatest hits of previous candidates.

[@Rayven-gi3os]

Advocatus Diaboli or... trump?

[@thelinedrive]

Rayven 55555 because Trump is antithetical to actual conservative ideologues and this supporting him only do so to hold onto their own power as the very people Barry Goldwater rejected have taken over the party.

[@Rayven-gi3os]

I’m a trump supporter... Just putting it out there

[@jcastro1129]

*Reagan

[@luke-be8yw]

You should have included at least something about the Reagan Administaration.

[@crashcourse]

We're up to about 1974. Unless you're talking about Reagan's administration as Governor of California, you're a little early. We'll get there. -stan

[@samsquanch197]

Wally White don't worry there'e a video:)

[@francispena2818]

+CrashCourse the plumbers? like Ben 10?

[@biffyqueen]

+Wally White This is about what led to Reagan

[@biffyqueen]

+Wally White This is about what led to Reagan

[@radiofrog]

Hey look it's a bunch of conservatives and liberals in the comments forming massive generalizations of the opposing side without providing any solid facts, evidence, or rational details to back up their points and instead resort to name-calling and keyboard raging. Good job!

[@thegreatwalrus6574]

The left thinks all conservatives are neo nazis. While the right thinks there is some leftist conspiracy taking over the Media, and soon to be the world

[@garibaldistudios5406]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@pickingthepast1420]

The Great Walrus kxmhr😮

[@matthewtullis7205]

*taco girls looks up and whispers* why not both!?

[@the1andonlytitch]

Conservatism is a backwards ideology

[@jeffnaslund]

When corporations took over government, that’s when problems occurred

[@jeffnaslund]

468er/ PeaShooter any evidence to support your ‘point?’

[@jeffnaslund]

468er/ PeaShooter silly me, of course not. Just another Rush Hannity drone with his head in 14th century sand

[@sucktheseballs6706]

468er/ PeaShooter not really, it happened even before that

[@KarmasAB123]

@@468erpeashooter9 Happened when they invented people

[@KarmasAB123]

@@468erpeashooter9 Solid argument; you don't think anyone can become corrupt?

[@teannabucci9522]

This man has taught me more than any of my teachers in any subject when we were still in school and now that we are out of school.

[@user-zd6kn7mo7f]

That's sad because he says a lot of misleading things

[@user-vw2jq3to5e]

Anyone else notice that at 8:48 the couple divorced because the pregnant lady cheated with a black guy XD

[@chandlerwilliams9509]

Yeah I did lol

[@Student-gr1sq]

bahaha dude i noticed that. haha look at the dipshit that's making it racist.

[@Chameleon1616]

And the teenager in the other family was confirmed honour killed with a hose.

[@gregthextremegamer2657]

Yep it's very sad that modern liberals promote these sorts of things :/

[@rachelb.684]

I just thought the baby was adopted 😁

[@the_original_Bilb_Ono]

im a 22 year old atheist conservative and lean republican. it's not many of us, and im not sure why really.

[@arctictoothpaste]

Because many conservatives opposed critical things like secularism , the moral conservatives were straight up authoriterians who wanted to dictate lives , their legacy ie the drug war is still here, as well as promotion of creationism. Although I fall into the liberterian camp , we are splitting off from conservatives because of the moral authoriterianism

[@Seeyeay]

+arctictoothpaste nice explanation

[@beaz3784]

I assume a /s here, but in the case of not being so, the unfortunate fact is that the American conservative movement has become increasingly tied to moral conservatism, which is rapidly becoming very out-of-touch with average Americans.

[@ReviewingMagnet]

Authoritarianism does not have an ideology it is a form of governing which is also used as slander like "fascism" and "socialism" Right-wing governments and left-wing governments can both be authoritarian (ie Nazi Germany and the Soivet Union)

[@based6950]

Im also an right-wing atheist, i just tend to be more of a libertarian because of my socially liberal views.

[@grilledflatbread4692]

I discovered CrashCourse on my youtube feed recently. After watching a dozen or so, I heard John mention he was a novelist. Oh cool, let's google his name. John Greene, that sounds familiar. Wait, those book covers look familiar. Yes, I own those books. It's the same John Greene!!! Needless to say, in the off chance you read this, it's kinda cool to see the face of an author whose books I've enjoyed. Thanks.

[@biffyqueen]

I love how in the TB everyone is smoking. Because everyone smoked. All the time. Everywhere.

[@AtticusAmericanus]

I will throw out my conservative joke now so I can not be killed for it. _'Conservative: One who admires radicals a century after they are dead.'~Leo Rosten_

[@lonewolfM16]

To be fair, the radical ideas of the past often become the mainstream ideas of the future, and the mainstream ideas of the past often become the radical ideas of the future, society changed often.

[@jamesfulford]

​@@lonewolfM16 Brings a whole new understanding to Ecclesiastes 1:9: "That which hath been is that which shall be, And that which hath been done is that which shall be done; And there is nothing new under the sun." (speaking of radical ideas of the present being the mainstream ideas of the past, here's a Bible verse)

[@Kewljack02]

[Insert politically charged comment here]

[@margaretgonzales1579]

hhahahahaha

[@kanazak2]

[Insert offended comment here]

[@LG--gg8sq]

EEEEEEEEEEEE

[@Texan.Insomniac]

[Insert ill-informed and biased info comment here]

[@wokeeye6441]

.

[@migrainejane]

4 years, and I still love this series.

[@markross6785]

Who else is watching this because your teacher assigned it during corona quarantine

[@myconvelasquez4165]

APUSH ?

[@markross6785]

@@myconvelasquez4165 nah just regular

[@drewggm30]

you got the answers tho?

[@myconvelasquez4165]

GGM Drew quizlet does lol

[@drewggm30]

Mycon Velasquez ur godly for that bro

[@Frivolitility]

"Scoodley-pooping"... Thanks for ruining sex, John.

[@Eruaphadian]

Hello Crash Course. I have been watching your videos since the beginning and I have noticed a positive correlation in my schooling and general knowledge as I combine it with what I learn from this KZbin channel. While I previously had trouble in subjects such as history, watching your videos have created a sense of curiosity and wonder to the subject as a whole and being able to feel this has brought me great joy. For this I would like to say thank you, and though you may not come to see this comment as there are many that flood this section daily, I feel that my expression of gratification was necessary. If you do see this comment however, and are willing to reply, I have often wondered if you were hoping to expand your subjects into other categories such as mathematics. Where Hank would teach the subject. I have often struggled with mathematics. I can see how teaching such a subject can be difficult as, unlike history or physics, there is little to no interesting facts to captivate your audience and keep them engrossed, and as this subject is taught throughout the academic career it would be challenging to find a starting point. Naturally, I wouldn't be devastated if such things were to not come to fruition, it is your channel after all, I simply feel I would greatly enjoy it. Once again, I thank you for the great videos and for the ones to come

[@louise-yo7kz]

John Green these classes are such important lessons for so many of. It will prompt many of your viewers to do more research on various points in history.

[@belizeboy7]

I watched this as part of a class assignment. Definitely a fan of Crash Course now. This should be on TV...if it isn't already.

[@felixmarvelo2063]

I'm socially Liberal and fiscally moderate. I am 100% with the Conservatives on gun rights and the "work your ass off and you'll succeed" concept, but conservative ideology is being destroyed by tea partiers, Christian zealots and social Conservatism. Also, for a party that totes "small government", they don't seem to have any problems with monumental military spending, funding the drug war and using the government to tell you who you can and cannot marry. Conservatives need to get their shit together if they want to be taken seriously. Same thing applies to hyper PC liberals who believe that big bad America is the greatest evil in the world.

[@TheFatspud]

Hummm yes it is true that anyone who is poor must be poor as a result of not working hard enough, and all rich people must be rich because they worked so much harder than the rest of us.

[@Imagine-Baggins]

Avi Kota While I cannot stand most conservative ideologies, I must agree that the PC Police is one of the worst things to come out of liberalism

[@2sites]

Avi Kota I'm more libertarian than anything I guess. The amount of money spent on the military is pennies compared to the big three programs. Even if they completely eliminated the military it wouldnt balance the budget. And the military is the only thing the government is really supposed to spend money on anyway. (for the record, I don't agree with all these wars in the middle east, but I do agree with a strong defense.. meaning defense.. in america.. lol) But Social sec, medicair, medicaid alone are more than the budget, and are unsustainable. So maybe the military spends a lot of money but it's not the problem. That's just a liberal talking point. Look at a graph of what makes up the budget.

[@TheFatspud]

2sites You're right, US health and social care are great burdens on the budget. It would be far more efficient and cost effective if the US had a state-run, publicly owned health service. That would be far better for people in need as well as taxpayers since they would no longer have to give tax dollars to private insurance companies.

[@lisameskimen9296]

Avi Kota I agree completely!! The gun issue is something I'm on the fence about, because it would be extremely drastic to say that a citizen can't own a weapon. At the same time, I hate the fact that some people throw the gun rights thing around and act oh so proud to own a bunch of items that could take a human life. It just seems juvenile. I could go off on a rant about that. But yes, great points about hyper conservative and hyper liberals.

[@The__Creeper]

So wait, you're telling me that the Plumbers are a real government organization AND THEY DON'T FIGHT ALIENS?!

[@Metaknightmare217]

I see what reference you made there...

[@kakuspis]

I love this comment

[@The__Creeper]

Katie Kuspis Clearly Nixon was an alien. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!

[@Bolt473]

The Creeper NIXON'S BAAAACK

[@Destroyer6263]

David Boshears May Death come swiftly to his enemies

[@spiderman8712]

After rewinding 100X times.... I learned a whole lot , thank you crash course!

[@mateonunez7168]

“People like Medicare” Have you met a Canadian who moved to the US

[@artdent9871]

@Shades of Blue, bull. I'm Canadian, from a medical family, and NO ONE from Canada wants to move to the crime-ridden US. Your murder rate per capita is TEN TIMES ours. Our poor aren't desperately poor, and all have access to a good education. Nurses would NEVER trade the US system for Canadian, and Doctors are poached, but normally only with prestigious positions at top institutes, usually they have to be recruited and enticed, and it really helps if it's by an institute in a normally Blue State with a decent education system and especially social-safety net, with a resulting lower crime rate, as compared to most historically Red States. Republicans prefer 10× the murders for a a fifth less taxes, duh, I think this video is explaining that now.

[@artdent9871]

@Shades of Blue, bull, the US has 10× Canada's murder rate per capita because far too often your poor are desperately poor, their children don't have access to a real education system, and instead you send them to crime college, aka jail. That's Republican policy, not Democrat. Right now, in the Maritimes, Canada, out of a couple million people, there are around a dozen underage offenders incarcerated in those 3 provinces, TOTAL, the juvi facilities are almost empty, and everyone is debating what to do with them now. YET NOT ONE WESTERN COUNTRY has allowed more refugees in than Canada over the last few years, and that's not per capita, that's in hard numbers, and we have a tiny population compared to the US. Studies done in Europe and North America, incuding the US, have consistently shown for DECADES that immigrants and refugees are MORE law abiding on average than the citizens in their adopted homes, as are their children, google it, you brainwashed, ill-informed bigot.

[@artdent9871]

@Shades of Blue, google every fact I stated, BOTH posts are factual. I'm a retired print journalist who majored in History and minored in Sociology and Anthropology, and to account for the US's annual murder rate, every immigrant and refugee who's entered the US in your lifetime would have to commit mass murder on a Nazi scale. You simply don't know what you're writing about, and are clearly misinformed. You say "can't let those brown people in," but when Canada actually did, we STILL have one TENTH your murder rate per capita. Those are FACTS, as is the FACT that you are an obvious bigot and racist.

[@shamanking19042000]

@Shades of Blue crimes are because if illegal aliens? Do you ever fact check what you say

[@shamanking19042000]

@Shades of Blue my grammar is not as bad as your lack of knowledge on anything that occured in this thread so far. Search up the crimes undocumented immigrants bring.

[@MegaMementoMori]

This episode did not really discuss the rise of conservatism, in fact it only showed how the things conservatives stand for were being torn apart and discussed a leader who was not really conservative.

[@jonnyhan]

MegaMementoMori Agree. I personally believe there has been a rapid rise in libertarianism after Obama's first failed term, and thus a rise in fiscal conservatives.

[@anncokafor]

jonnyhan Failed term? lmao. There's no rise. Most republicans don't like libertarians (they pretend they do). Rand will never be elected.

[@jonnyhan]

Ann Okafor You don't think Obama's terms have been utter failures?

[@paulah8393]

jonnyhan I do not think Obama's terms have been a failure. Do you not remember all the jobs lost during W's years. The crash of '08 (certainly can happen again). 16 million people have healthcare. The Lilly Ledbetter Act, such a list that here is a link pleasecutthecrap.com/obama-accomplishments/ - I have some beefs with the Obama administration, but in comparison to what we have had he has been a marvel and with a congress that stated a goal of obstruction. CachedSimilar

[@MegaMementoMori]

Paula Helene So he was fortunate enough to have a term during the recovery after the world financial crisis and forced people to pay for healthcare for strangers. Sure, there were some good sides, like the tpp as well.

[@Pooua]

You wouldn't know it from this video, but Conservatism pre-dates and runs all throughout US history. In fact, the American Revolution turned out differently from the French Revolution because the American Revolution was that rare creature, a conservative revolution, whereas the French Revolution was a radical (and humanistic) revolution. The US revolution was based on the claim that King George III had violated the law, particularly the rights guaranteed to British citizens. Instead of a royal impeachment, the colonists revolted, to reassert their traditional rights. The French, on the other hand, decided to scrap their whole system and execute anyone associated with the predecessor regime, going so far as becoming an atheistic and communist state for a time. To this day, this has been the trend of Communist revolutionaries, virtually all of whom studied in France at some time in their lives. Also unmentioned in this video is that the ERA was implemented in later legislation that did not involve amending the US Constitution. Finally, I should mention that the Civil Rights Act was a Republican initiative, strongly opposed by the Democrats. This video might lead people to believe it was the other way around. Admittedly, it probably was a liberal Republican initiative, verses a conservative Democratic opposition, but, nonetheless, Blacks did not get their signature protections from Democrats.

[@Pooua]

***** "King James I of England (reigned 1603-25) was the foremost exponent of the divine right of kings, but the doctrine virtually disappeared from English politics after the Glorious Revolution (1688-89)." www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/166626/divine-right-of-kings Perhaps you've heard of the Magna Carta? That 13th Century document puts a stake through the heart of any British claim to divine right to unquestioned rule. It established that British non-royalty *do* have rights that even the king shall not abrogate. "Edmund Burke, an 18th-century politician who opposed the French Revolution, is credited as one of the main theorists of conservatism in Great Britain in the 1790s.[4]" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism I consider Edmund Burke the father of modern Conservatism. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Burke

[@Briggie]

***** That is a horribly simplified view of an entire political ideology.

[@Pooua]

***** I don't know what your point is. It is true that Conservatism does promote retaining traditional institutions, but that is what I was pointing out when I stated that the American Revolution was a rare creature, a conservative revolution. Conservative, incidentally, does not mean static. Conservatism allows for moderate change. Modern Liberalism, however, embraces "rootlessness" (the term used by "Encyclopaedia Britannica"), disassociation as much as possible with the past. It led to nihilism, which is still a significant social mindset.

[@Pooua]

***** The American Revolution hinged on retaining the legal rights the colonists had as British subjects. As a result of the revolution, the colonists had to form a new government. They considered implementing a new monarchy, but then went with a loose confederacy that was embodied in the Articles of Confederation. It took about a decade before the new nation decided on yet another form of government, embodied in the US Constitution. The majority of the legal system was borrowed from British common law, which is still the basis of most of US law. The theory behind the constitutional government was based on close examination of historical governmental models stretching back thousands of years.

[@Mr14nitsua]

Do you even truly understand what Conservative means politically? The conservatives were the loyalists.

[@michael0.770]

Goldwater was anti-communist and did not like the "welfare state," , but he was not anti-gay and warned of the rise of the "religious right." Seeing how Trump, who is obviously not any sort of religious man as evidenced by his behavior and personality, was embraced by the conservative evangelicals, speaks to Goldwater's wisdom on that subject.

[@AlanNadeauIII]

5-2 for the Mystery Document season. So far, so good John.

[@fartzinwind]

I find your image lacking a Clone of Agnew to be disappointing.

[@PMW3]

I'm waiting for the "mystery document" chair to collapse from John jumping into it.

[@cjamesfort]

Do civil rights and the free market really have to be a odds? I'd say that freedom requires that they go hand in hand.

[@timluo6120]

no 100% free markets allows private companies to discriminate based on gender race and nationality

[@timluo6120]

free markets allow choice for private companies, and deciding who to serve is one of them even if you find the consequences distasteful

[@ferrer65]

Because free markets will always weed out poor customer service. It's ingenious, and yet people still think that it's the government's role to pass laws that govern businesses. It's not.

[@arctictoothpaste]

Except you still keep drugs and prostitution illegal, you are not believers of freedom -libertarian

[@GregTom2]

free market is pretty much the root of all the social inequalities in USA so, unless civil rights don't include equal opportunity, not really no.

[@fernandaroig2964]

This sounds almost too familiar...

[@samd8914]

Sadly so. America has been duped.

[@mistym0rning]

Fernanda Roig - history repeating itself, in a way...

[@fernandaroig2964]

***** how come ur cat has a cone?

[@blakebackes]

Brastion how come?

[@josh_final]

Please let the rest of this comment section be about cats...

[@offsimon]

People have always used conservative and liberal as buzz words. I generally adhere to the original meaning, starting in the French revolution - for government: right, limited government:left. Every single political party is a combination of both, depending on the issue. Nobody is really a conservative or liberal, everybody is a mix of both, most often even equal parts of both. If keeping the true and tested is conservatism however (paraphrasing Lincoln), then I'm a conservative on regulation of banks and economy and probably most other relevant issues (Civil liberties has been a non issue for a long time). Since it's been tried and it definitely worked. It's a definition that most accurately describes my political views. But right now I would be considered a radical liberal, despite being conservative on most issues. But in all honesty, I never approach a political decision on ideology terms. The questions Can it work?, Has it worked before? can be an answer to practically all political questions. If a policy isn't working, change it. Otherwise don't. Reality always provides the answer. Governing was supposed to be a tool, a means to an end, not the goal. We really need to (re)define what these words mean or start using terms that actually mean something. Most of the problems in politics stems from unclear definitions. So people instead of thinking: "I support this and that, therefore I must be this and that.", people think: "I am this and that, therefore I must support this and that." The meaning of the labels can be completely reversed in the mean time. So people really support a brand, not adhering to content at all. Manipulation is too easy for politicians.

[@BakaHoushi]

You highlight a problem that makes me wary to ever discuss politics in public. That is, the baggage that comes with all political terms and the need to attach these terms and labels to others. If you voted for Obama in the last election, for example, you are a liberal, you support X, Y, and Z, you dislike A, B, and C. This is of course rubbish. One can vote for, support, or protest anything without necessarily agreeing with others on different issues. In essence, Liberal and Conservatism may have a dictionary definition, but in reality, they're just another label of "us vs. them." Empty words meant to divide people and turn them on others.

[@AQGOAT24]

Sean Goss I entirely agree. We need to do away with these buzzwords and have rational discussions. One thing in Toronto at least, local government has no parties which is somewhat better than Federal election which is party based.

[@briansmith3431]

The French revolution is the antithesis to ours...based on an idea that mankind can be perfected by weeding out (via guillotine) the corrupted and undesirable folks. Their revolution resembles more the rises to power of communism in Russia and China under Stalin and Mao. As far as the labels are concerned, I think its important to consider who, today, is evaluating their party's adherence to their values. Tea party members are growing every day to despise modern Republicans and would LOVE to part company with them. Democrats, however, seem willing to overlook or even embrace the actions of "their guy/gal" no matter what... There is zero introspection on the left. Case in point...when "Bush" was monitoring phone calls, it was supposed to be only when one of the parties on the line was directly linked to terrorism. Whether you believed it or not at the time doesn't matter. THIS president openly and brazenly collects information on EVERYONE...and no one on the left bats an eye.

[@DrSpooglemon]

Brian Smith He was talking about the origin of the terms "right wing" and "left wing", which originate from the time of the french revolution. Did you even understand a word of what he wrote?

[@jcsv12345]

Whomever approaches a problem based on ideology alone (assuming that they are the follower, not the creator) is simply a mindless drone. Likewise, the same can be easily said about the evolution-creation 'debate' (I'll get zinged for this one). Don't these two, similar reactions to an ideological question--the one to science, and the one to an opposing political view which we see very often in GOP reps--seem mighty similar?

[@d-x-v-i]

This is one of my favourite Crash Course videos despite John's insistence on saying "conservativism" instead of "conservatism".

[@benjaminmishler5585]

In my opinion, John Green is the best teacher on Crash Course because he's so funny.

[@NiteSaiya]

Correction: Title IX outlawed discrimination against women based on sex at universities. Not everyone. Title IX is virtually never applied to males.

[@NiteSaiya]

+Ali Saleem No, sorry, read my comment. Title IX is so seldomly applied to aid male victims of discrimination that it functionally only applies to women.

[@darkhaider14]

I did read your comment and your statement is still wrong. How a law, policy or rule is used is one story and what it applies to or does is a different topic. Whether Title 9 is used to help more female or male students depends on the user. As far as its function is concerned it APPLIES to both male and female students.

[@NiteSaiya]

+Ali Saleem That is explicitly not the topic. In my very first comment I both acknowledge what you're saying AND dismiss it. It's not logical to come in and drag an issue I threw away out of the trash and pretend that it's still relevant. The topic is: Title IX protects only females because it is rarely or never used to aid males. Period. Coming in and saying "But it technically says otherwise!" is a complete non sequitur.

[@himurakenshiro2126]

dude thats like saying punching only hurts men because almost no one wants to pick fights whit woman .

[@GTaichou]

Consider: Title IX is probably applied less often to men because that would be the status quo - men already enjoy preferential treatment and more often do not need Title IX to guarantee them equal opportunity.

[@gee8419]

I watch Crash Course every week and I really appreciated the balanced take on conservatism here. It was really interesting seeing it put into historical context and seeing how all of the things that make the current Republican party what it is today were shaped by so many factors. I'm not a conservative, but it was at least interesting thinking where everyday people might have been coming from when conservative backlash arose during this time period. I hope the comments on this one don't blow up too much because it would do the video a disservice.

[@radomu1]

John says "conservativism"

[@Lucy-ng7cw]

+R Yokoe So....?

[@radomu1]

It's most likely a good attempt at distinguishing 'big C conservatives' and 'small C conservatives'

[@Tripserpentine]

+R Yokoe That is because the US conservatives are different then what is considered conservative in the rest of the world, at least in Europe it is. That is why it is correct to say that. (a conservative in my country is mostly liberal and economically conservative(( in the sense op preserving)) most of the time and the word conservative is mostly used as someone who sticks to culture and mindset of years ago, kinda like a 80 year old elderly who still revels in the good old days when blacks were still negro's and white people still the better people)

[@JustCantGetRight]

+Tripserpentine That's a bad example lol, it would sort of be like me presenting liberals as hipsters who can't wait for weed to get legalized. Although there are people still like what you said, I'd have to say that most of the focus (at least from my part) is on the traditional family first, lemme have my gunz plz, military service, religious, everything is earned by someone, etc. mentality. I embrace some liberal views, but I am for the most part conservative because I think this mentality allows me to focus more on becoming a better person for me and my future family and is overall a formula for hard work, since everything in life is earned (unless it gets Berned... err) by someone even if it was given to you.

[@craigk3103]

The correct way to say it when not speaking about the political party

[@ryantrengove417]

tfw you realized that Nixon's "silent majority" campaign has a stark resemblance to that of the Trump campaign

[@zachfakelastname]

At this point neither side is really that silent, the internet has allowed for everyone to have their own megaphone that is turned all the way up to 1000 out of 10

[@andrewu8525]

Zach, though that is true, a microphone still needs people talking into it in order to amplify. And while everyone has megaphones only some have microphones.

[@clementcharlebois]

Silent majority is called white people.

[@Wasattsi]

Field Marshall Rommel Yes he did you melon.

[@JK-gu3tl]

Even more so now.

[@coreystinson6403]

Roe vs wade, oh boy…

[@someguyhasachanal]

Hahahahahaha... I love all the conservatives saying this video was one sided, and all of the liberals saying that it was not harsh enough.

[@augmenautus]

The Southern strategy isn't well understood. Nixon didn't run a racist campaign and he won 18% of the African American vote. He was generally regarded as a moderate on civil rights. He called his 1968 election strategy the southern strategy, because he abandoned the deep south to former Democrat George Wallace who was a racist running as an independent that year. Nixon won some of the less racist states while Wallace won the more fervent ones. In 1972 Wallace ran again, but this time as a Democratic candidate in the primary, but an assassination attempt paralyzed him from the waist down ending his campaign. Nixon ended up winning the entire south by default not by becoming more racist. As racism ebbed in the South the Republican party ended up winning more and more of it leading up to the present with the Democratic party exercising their own southern strategy that calls for abandoning the South to the Republicans.

[@nora22000]

augmenautus rex Nixon was a twisted, criminal, racist, paranoid, horrible human being who corrupted everything he touched. You want to defend Nixon? It's a losing proposition.

[@klip8726]

dude nixon targeted blacks and white liberals in the drug war

[@jackdoe7401]

I don't think he was really defending him he was just saying what happened.

[@GalloglassUais]

Best description I've seen of this so far

[@Red1Green2Blue3]

How can you be a moderate on civil rights? You either support them or you don't lol, are you seriously trying to say only granting some civil rights is a defensible position?

[@danabacinschi]

He references star wars and futurama while talking about political doctrine. I am in love. I will love you forever.

[@leleedler]

Haha, I am not kidding Hubert Humphrey is my great Grandfather, unfortunately he passed away before I was born but, his wife was one of the nicest people I have ever met, It makes my heart ache a bit that I never got to meet him. My middle name is after him, Humphrey was an embarrassing middle name in grade, and highschool.

[@EMMYPESS]

I love these crash courses, John :) My dad was extremely close to buying a box set of 4 autographed books for me but he said they sold out. He still got me The Fault in Our Stars for Christmas though. Keep on being awesome!

[@archieandrews8457]

This was liberally biased.

[@devourerofbabies]

+Archie Andrews Reality has a well known liberal bias.

[@11chucknoris]

+coreyjohn94 Links?

[@unixone7558]

+coreyjohn94 To be fair, there also exist studies that show the exact same thing in reverse (I am neutral myself, but political stuff is always going to be biased, even when politics isn't involved).

[@cullenmayes3370]

Never seen a Green John video before, huh?

[@unixone7558]

Cullen Mayes Don't worry, this is just some guy trying to bring politics where it doesn't belong. Enjoy the rest of John Green's content as you will.

[@JRCody-ds3ec]

A lot of the "big government" programs Nixon started were common sense programs. For example, the EPA started with the purpose of telling companies to not dump literal waste into water. Obviously now the EPA has been labeled as far left by conservatives with "radical ideas" such as clean energy and fuel efficient cars.

[@KDemosh]

Amazing video amazing series amazing host!

[@mp-zf4ur]

That animation of the floating empowered woman is fantastic.

[@EmperorTikacuti]

For me, I hate it

[@Hel1mutt]

DW42536387384 Why would you hate that?

[@EmperorTikacuti]

W******s are becoming a major issue these days

[@biomerl]

DW42536387384 These upvotes are due to bots. This guy is a fucking propaganda machine, look at his accounts and comments.

[@XxJERICHOHOLICxX13]

Actually, the biggest argument against the ERA hands-down, was that women would have to sign up for the draft, and the conflict in Vietnam was still going on at this point, so women didn't want to go, men didn't want their daughters to go so that's over half the possible people that could've had a say on the ERA passing in the first place.

[@punkgrl325]

Nailed it.

[@JLone55]

That's what I always thought killed the ERA bill too? I'm pretty sure that was in my jr. high history if I'm remembering right. I was kinda surprised he didn't mention that.

[@YankeeDoodleDandy]

Easier to say "muh sexism" when you are trying to brainwash people who trust you.

[@brettbessler5680]

I read the comments section of all the crash course videos and realize how screwed up the world really is.

[@supasf]

Yep, the democRATS have taken over.

[@UpperKS]

I do too, and all I see is "who's here in 2020?!?" And "OH MY GOSH I HAVE A TEST LOL"

[@UpperKS]

@@supasf well that doesn't make sense.

[@supasf]

@@UpperKS surely it does more than mUH cLiMatE cHaNgE

[@UpperKS]

@@supasf uh, okay. Your comment just doesn't make sense with regards to the parent comment. Neither does your reply, actually.

[@sorvian25]

This might be one of my most-watched eps of CC US history

[@deepspacedoggydog]

@ 8:47 I think the black baby explains the divorce. ...just saying.

[@trojan88tm]

at 8:47, i'll go out on a limb and say that the black baby was probably, PROBABLY the reason for the divorce. lol

[@NicolasMorenoDiaz]

Loving your videos. Pretty objective. Grettings from Colombia

[@niallsulcer600]

I think it's worth pointing out (5 years after the fact) that Nixon earned the nickname "Iron-butt" in law school, not during his tour of service.

[@LibertyJava]

If conservatives don't do conservative things, can we call them conservatives?

[@josuebarboza9809]

No, you can call them RINOS, or neo-cons.

[@TheTC]

+Josue Barboza Neo cons sound like a traveling Matrix convention.

[@josuebarboza9809]

Neo-new. Con- conservative. New conservatives. As opposed to paleo conservatives described in the video. All changed with bush and reagan.

[@legendofthefall7082]

But conservatives have always done conservative things. They've always been on the wrong side of history, completely opposed to change. That's why they were against the abolition of slavery, against the American Revolution (Conservative Tories), against the Civil Rights Movement, against the Women's Movement, etc.

[@JK-gu3tl]

NIxon created EPA, that's conservative. /s

[@DuffinCaprousold]

It's amazing the parallels we see between these and things today. History really does repeat itself often.

[@TimBurtonPrincess]

Love the drawing on the blackboard

[@ThePeaceableKingdom]

"Cluster Calhoun" has entered my vocabulary

[@TheRacso2552]

Thankfully you didn't paint out the conservatives as "the bad guys" which alot of people do.

[@kyleleonard3735]

Conservatives can be the bad guys though. As summed up by @Justin Trechel the modern conservatives are far different than that of the 60s. Conservatives today have the habit of taking their ideals to far, such would the Tea Party Movement. The Tea Party Republicans had shut down the government over Obamacare. Regardless of how you feel about the law no opinion authorizes a small group of people to close a majority of the world's largest government.

[@shoelessjoe2555]

Yes he did. he was totally biased. He said that segregation and civil rights was something the democrats were viewed as championing, which is false. Most democrats opposed both. Republicans were united in their support for freeing the slaves, desegregating, and the civil rights.

[@deadmanssuit]

I only consider conservatives the "bad guys" when they're trying to impose christian values on others.

[@TheRacso2552]

Bocephus Blue What about when Islam impose their values on others? It happens all the time in Europe at least.

[@deadmanssuit]

[15th] Wismar Slightly more harmful doctrine.

[@Headlock]

All Hail Robot Nixon 3000!

[@EmperorTikacuti]

I ain't his slave :)

[@philknight5182]

"The Roomba shall make you free"?

[@lionessstrange4447]

GOOD LUCK ON THE AP US HISTORY EXAM

[@TheGamerUnknown]

Could you guys do a crash course psychology course? :D You guys do such a great job with all the stuff you do, I'd love to see a psych course.

[@saquist]

Impressive video. My eyes have been opening to politics and I've been asking a lot of questions of conservatism in my home state of Texas to which I haven't gotten clear or truthful answer. This went a long way to me understanding both the Civil Rights impact on politics and why conservatives do what they do today.

[@rowdsterrex7845]

Nixon: "I call upon the soylent - uh- SILENT majority."

[@V_Deity]

Props to whoever animated the divorce couple with the black baby.

[@FranticCashew]

I was a little disappointed this video glossed over the monumental shifts in our justice system that started with Nixon and the Neoconservative movement. There was a little bit about the race/crime coding in the Southern Strategy, but that is it. This is when our justice system switched from the rehabilitative Progressive model to the model of Neoclassicism we now use. It is why we have the war on drugs and why we incarcerate more people than any other country on the planet (both gross and per capita). We imprison more people per capita than South Africa did during apartheid. Maybe I am biased (I have a CJ degree), but I feel like that is a huge piece to leave out. Hopefully we will get into when he talks about Reagan - who really took the War on Drugs and ran with it.

[@xtusvincit5230]

It was actually Clinton who ran up the incarceration rates. Reagan talked about it. Clinton did it.

[@AlexBermann]

I am not surprised how ... impolite some conversations here became. That said, the video helped me in understanding one thing which always alienated me about the political culture of the US: how the same people can want a smaller and less intrusive gouvernment that agree on and even demand the government playing morality police.

[@MaroKnight1701]

Almost as confusing as the liberal mindset to save the whales, treat their pets better than children, and still condone abortion. Go figure?

[@AlexBermann]

MaroKnight1701 Your argument is besides the point. I did not understand the neoconservative mindset without historical context. If you don't understand the "liberal" mindset, this is a different problem. If it helps you to understand: please consider that an unborn child is different from us grown up humans by being not fully developed. Its capabilities of self-conscience and suffering are limited because of that. The capabilities in those fields whales posess are way superiour. If your ethic is to avoid destroying self-conscience life and avoid to cause suffering, it makes logical sense to act this way. I am not saying that any interpretation is right and I do not have the knowledge to judge who is right in regards to abortion. What I care about is understanding how people think. I want to see which principles are behind their thoughts.

[@katianovakk]

I like you, Alex, you seem very level-headed. I agree with you completely on the whole "morality police" thing. Who is the government to tell us that we can't do drugs, pay someone for sex, or any other seedy, "non-moral" thing if it doesn't hurt anyone else?

[@patchworkpants]

MaroKnight1701 We condone animal abortions too. There's no bias there whatsoever.

[@SalvationSeeker197]

Easy: You separate economic from social issues.

[@Adxksm]

"Although very few people argue on shrinking the government because you know, that would be unpopular.. People like medicare" ... ... I'm afraid you were wrong on that :(.

[@jedibattlemasterkos]

You should do a part 2 for this for Current Year.

[@TMMx]

You spelled Richard Milhous Nixon wrong.

[@danr.5017]

***** Cleary that was an Ironic typo.

[@GitraSilvermane]

***** An ironic typo is still a typo.

[@danr.5017]

omastar444 the joke is that people are trying to amend their spelling of amendment. The Ironic thing is that you,(the audience) think that it is a problem that need to be fixed. when in reality this is the way the spelling was intended by the writer.

[@spman2099]

Derral Gerken Will the commenters be satisfied if CrashCourse starts using sic to indicate intentionally misspelled words? Or will they be upset that CrashCourse is using a modern function of sic?

[@BTsMusicChannel]

It's because this guy is not as smart as he'd like to think.

[@S0vereignX]

This is why I'm Independent, that way political affiliation can never get in the way of making decisions regardless of the side that puts the ideas forward. All sides do something right eventually so its better to stay in the middle and side with those who have the better idea at the time while being able to tell them to piss off when they have bad ideas as you are not committed to either party.

[@prkr1163]

LOL The sticker on his computer. Where did you get that?? I want one

[@samedmonds9354]

I really enjoy these videos

[@havek23]

You can shrink the govt without getting rid of VA, NASA, or Medicaid/Medicare. You can cut a lot from defense budget if we sent less offensive strike teams out and just had everyone guarding home and contributing some to the UN and other allies instead of just running our own show all over the world.

[@exagwry3705]

+Jeeto I agree with this comment... mostly. I think the defense budget should be cut, as well as the restructuring of defense. I don't think things like NASA should be shut down.

[@havek23]

Sounds like complete agreement then, keep VA, Medicaid/Medicare (but have them competitively bid for things), NASA, and then cut and restructure defense spending. Simplify and reduce taxes to align with the smaller budget.

[@Mixolydian7712]

+Jeeto you realize the money spent on medicaid each year is double that which we spend on defense?

[@jaredsandoy5616]

+Jeeto 80% of the federal budget is on non-defense spending, and almost all rich countries that spend a lower percent of their GDP on their army are under either the direct or indirect military protection of the United States.

[@MephLeo]

"Protection". Like in "protection racket". A huge army is but a tool to enforce its countries' own interests on foreign countries, be it Russian, Chinese or American army. USA is an empire and it needs its huge army to stay as an empire. Freedom be with us all. Not.

[@jfridy]

The idea of the religious Evangelical Christians acting as a voting block was a new one in the 70s, going into the 70s, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution in 1971 affirming that abortion should be legal, to protect the life of the mother and her emotional life as well. They also pointed out how this was a sign that they were not oppressing women like Catholics. The other factor was that before then it was thought that entering politics would corrupt the religious movement. This would radically change when Jerry Falwell and others took control of the movement and tied it strongly to the modern, Southern led Republican party. Even as late as 1976 the Republican Party criticized Jimmy Carter for carrying his faith on his sleeve, and discussing religion far too much for a politician running for office.

[@lollol-ou8tp]

The song you might be desperately looking for is Young & Beautiful - Somo

[@cutthechicken194]

Watching you at 1am in the DMV 😁

[@KeyWester1]

I mean, I mean, I mean...I was there in the 60's, participating in happenings, student protests, and antidiscrimination writing/events. I worked at the welfare demonstration project in Watts, where the people we served warned us days before the "spontaneous riot" broke out. I've reviewed these crash courses as a check on what was covered. They're well done, except... have too many "I mean" statements, y'know what I mean. Peace and love. Thanks for the memories.

[@putinsgaytwin4272]

It’s amazing that you lived through that era.

[@lhicrt6545]

Dude, that video was PACKED! first time I watched it a bit slower :D

[@geraldinefilpi4785]

Wonderful versions of history

[@CynthiaAttorney]

Great series Mr. Green. My daughter studies you in her AP course and I love you for just the facts for fun. Love you!

[@yyyuuu100]

12:21 Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

[@Terrorkekx]

My comment from your mouth...thank you :)

[@2sites]

This shoulda been called crash course on Nixon..

[@MrKilkennyjohn]

I wouldn't really consider Nixon representative of the conservative movement. He claimed to believe in Keynesian economics, and many of his policies were indistinguishable from the liberals of his time; he even proposed universal basic income. Ronald Reagan, I would argue, was the true poster boy of conservatism. He slashed taxes, expressed fear of an overreaching government, and propped up family values. Also, I don't think it's fair to conflate Nixon being tough on crime to being opposed to the civil rights movement.

[@striker865]

Whoa! Fairly representing both sides! 🤯😀

[@GSPV33]

9:27 - baby John Green. How adorable.

[@lancerd4934]

This explains so much about modern America. I always wondered why social conservatism in the US tends to coincide with economic liberalism and why the conservative side of politics dominates the Christian vote when Christ was kind of the opposite of socially conservative, what with all the smashing temples and hanging out with hookers and criticizing the establishment.

[@StrideRunner68]

Love it..

[@88pie88]

Jesus wasent having homosexual orgies, nor systematically aborting children. Apples to Oranges lancer.

[@lancerd4934]

88pie88 Apples to oranges does sound like something Jesus would do...

[@mariuszchile]

88pie88 Jesus used to drink wine... I don't and I won't!

[@88pie88]

Mariusz Michalak you realized that they didnt have clean water 2000 years ago, they often had to drink wine.

[@michaellussier5047]

No Reagan ? Why does this feel anti conservative

[@qwertyuoip1234]

This is about the _rise_ of conservativism. Reagan comes later.

[@mikemclean5815]

At 10:00 you omitted a very important point. The reason the ERA failed is because it would have required women to register for the draft. It failed because it would have taken away women's privileges, such as being exempt from the draft. The "STOP ERA" movement was an acronym. It stood for Stop Taking Our Privileges, Equal Rights Amendment.