Political Change in the 1990s (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

Summary

The election of George Bush Senior in 1989 meant that America entered the 1990s heading in the same political direction as it had for most of the 1980s under Ronald Reagan. However, Bush was viewed as less successful; his reputation with voters was damaged by his decision to raise taxes after promising not to. He was defeated by Bill Clinton in the 1992 election and left the White House after a single term.

The American economy boomed under Clinton, and there were record levels of job creation and home ownership during his two terms as president. However, the scandal caused by revelations of an affair with a young woman who worked at the White House damaged his reputation.

Changes Under Bush Senior and Clinton

George Bush Senior (Snr)

• George Bush Snr  had been Ronald Reagan’s Vice President and was elected to the White House in 1989

  • Many voters expected him to carry on with Reagan’s policies, and Bush had promised to cut taxes even further

• However, once in office, he was forced to increase taxes and cut spending on the military

  • This was not enough to prevent the US government’s budget deficit from increasing from $220 billion to $300 billion in the four years he was president

Bush Senior’s Key Legislation

• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

  • This act made it illegal for people with disabilities to be discriminated against in employment, transportation or public accommodations 

    • Such as hotels and motels

• The Clean Air Act 1990

  • Aimed to reduce the emission of toxic chemicals into the air, reduce smog and lessen acid rain

One-Term President

• Bush managed to lower interest rates, inflation and unemployment during his presidency

• However, the belief that he had misled the American people over taxes became widespread and damaged his reputation 

  • He was also judged to have failed to tackle the use of the illegal drugs heroin and cocaine in America 

    • This was despite it being his campaign priority, and funding the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) with billions of dollars

  • The race riots that erupted across many American cities in 1992 also damaged Bush’s reputation

    • The riots were triggered when four white police officers were acquitted after beating a black motorist named Rodney King, despite the event being filmed on a video camera

• This resulted George Bush Senior losing the 1992 Presidential election

Bill Clinton

• The man who defeated George Bush Senior was the Democratic Party candidate, Bill Clinton

  • He had very different views on the economy and welfare programmes from Bush and Reagan, who were both members of the Republican party

The End of ‘Reaganomics’

• Clinton wanted to reduce the enormous budget deficit that had been left to him by Bush and Reagan

  • But he also wanted to spend government money on welfare and education programmes to help the poorest people in American society

Economic Success

• Clinton oversaw the longest period of sustained economic growth in American history

• Unemployment fell from 7% to 4% and 22 million jobs were created in the eight years that he was president

  • Unemployment rates of Black and Hispanic Americans fell to their lowest levels ever

  • Home ownership increased

  • The stock market tripled in value during his presidency

Clinton’s Key Legislation

• Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

  • Allowed over 20 million Americans to take unpaid leave to care for a sick family member or newborn child without losing their jobs

• The Minimum Wage, 1996

  • Clinton introduced a legal minimum wage of $4.75 an hour 

    • This was increased to $5.15 a year later

• Clinton failed to introduce universal health insurance, as he could not get enough support for it in Congress

  • However, attempts to provide all mothers and newborn children with health care saw infant mortality drop to a record low during Clinton’s presidency

    • There were 8.5 deaths per 1,000 births in 1992, but this fell to 7.2 deaths per 1,000 in 1998

Scandals

• Clinton was investigated for his involvement in a housing development that saw two of his business associates jailed for fraud

  • The investigation did not find any evidence that Clinton had done anything illegal

• However, it did find evidence that he had been having an affair with a young member of the White House staff named Monica Lewinsky

  • Clinton had repeatedly denied having an affair, 

    • He was impeached by the House of Representatives and accused of perjury and obstruction of justice

• Clinton apologised and was acquitted of the impeachment charges, but his reputation never fully recovered