In the case of Britain, extreme radicalism reached its apogee as much in the punk era itself, when there were violent riots, as at the time Communism fell. (However, A.N. Wilson does point out that attitudes toward religion even in Britain were not the same in the 1980s as they are today, so that cultural change in the late eighties and early nineties was necessarily very significant).

In the case of America, commercial radio and the record companies were during the Carter Era extremely effective at shielding the culture from punk. However, data on things like sexual behaviour clearly show how the Reagan Era was in no way a conservative period, whatever election results suggest. It was inevitable that this radicalism would surface, and the Parents Music Resource Center, the only counter-effort, was a failure because it did not understand the culture behind the appeal of such violence.

However, as much as politicians are to blame for this, it would be Bush Senior rather than Reagan who would be to blame in the case of the US, and Thatcher’s predecessors in the seventies in the case of the UK. I am sure, though, that many factions of the Right think that greater focus on cultural radicalism at home would have been the correct decision. Judging by the fact that the most significant conservative intellectual growth since WWII occurred when Clinton was in power, such factions have a point.

Julien Peter Benney

Two responses. It is a bit rich to say that because leaders such as Reagan and Thatcher did not bring heaven to earth in every area, then we should just dismiss the great good they did re Communism. That is like belittling Michael Phelps and his world record 8 gold medals in swimming, because he also did not also win medals in archery, or the shot put.

If I only had the fall of the Berlin Wall to put on my CV, I think I would be quite content with, and very proud of, such an achievement.

Also, one can challenge your claims that they basically failed on these other fronts. I think they did a lot of good in these areas, and one can ask how much worse things would have been if they were not around. And it is somewhat silly to expect any world leader to be able to hold back all the forces of cultural and social change that are bound to take place in modern Western societies..

So I beg to differ here, but thanks for your thoughts.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

interesting article, though very familiar. What you seem to overlook, though, is that whilst bringing down the Iron Curtain, Reagan and Thatcher were unable to hold back radical cultural changes at home, which I imagine you believe to have negated the fall of Stalinism.

In spite of their free-market reforms, the late eighties and early nineties was culturally an extremely radical, indeed libertine period.

Nihilist thrash, rap, grunge and industrial bands like Slayer, Pantera, N.W.A., Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails, aided by touring in support of a largely working-class male audience, became a pivotal force towards a culture that completely rejected religion in favour of the view that life is meaningless and that there is no difference how we behave. Except for the rap groups, these bands were generally apolitical in their lyrics, so that how far left their ideals really are was not generally discussed much. However, with age it is impossible to accept that thrash, grunge and industrial are anything except far left.

Julien Peter Benney

I only heard snippets of her talk on the news. But you raise a very good point indeed. Lefties like Clinton were often the ones fully opposed to the policies of people like Reagan, including putting cruise missiles in Western Europe, which greatly helped to bring down the evil empire.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

Have you read of Hilary Clinton’s speech to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall? She praises everyone she can think of, but can’t bring herself even to mention Ronald Reagan!

She saves her praise for another president, Obama, who “represents the fall of different kinds of walls – of walls of discrimination, of stereotype, of character” but who couldn’t even be bothered showing up in person!

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100016373/hillary-clinton-scrubs-ronald-reagan-from-history/

Mansel Rogerson

Courage to continue as we have God on our side.

Be encouraged as you encourage others.

Mrs Judith Bond

How discouraging! No matter. Moses continued his work to completion, trusting that God was in control. He understood by then that it was not about him. And there was indeed a great deal of work that took place before Jesus the Messiah finally did arrive. And still God’s plan unfolds!

In regards to the Berlin Wall, I grew up during the era of Reagan and Thatcher. I was completely under the impression – based upon my indoctrination by the mainstream media – that both of them were incompetent and drunk with power. I since have learned at least two lessons here:
1. Don’t rely on the mainstream media.
2. Decisive leadership based upon fiscal conservative principles is almost never popular, but unlike alternatives to the left of the political spectrum, it actually gives ordinary people the freedom to succeed and to fail. But in both cases, freedom.

My mum happened to be in Germany when the wall came down and my father later brought back a couple of small pieces which I held with wide-eyed astonishment. For both of them, having grown up in wartime in a previously unified country, it affected them greatly. The association between standing up for principles that work even when opposed and seeing fruit from that courage, is clear. It’s not without reason that God constantly reminds us to not be afraid. We are too easily governed by sight rather than faith in His unseen eternal power. Thank you, Bill for this post.

BTW, in a way, Moses did enter the promised land, standing with Jesus and Elijah at the Transfiguration! (Matt 17).

Mark Rabich

Yes in these dark days we all need to encourage one another to keep fighting the good fight and not to despair.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

Yes I have mentioned him a number of times already, but he is always worth plugging yet again. Here are a few key links:

The 4-minute conclusion:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMe5dOgbu40

The full speech:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=stij8sUybx0&feature=player_embedded

The accompanying slide show which is found here:
www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/monckton_2009.pdf

The Alan Jones interview:
2gb.com.au/index2.php?option=com_newsmanager&task=view&id=4998

The Glenn Beck interview:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xy5_L1vJKQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY5msesd-2c

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch