Nixon the Progressive

The judgment of history is sometimes a fluid affair. Each generation has its own interpretation of the people and events that preceded it. When those views conflict with the established historical narrative, it begs the question, why the new attitude? Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of our natural evolution as a society. Other times, though, it is due to the influence of a prevailing social or political view.

Take Richard Nixon, for example. In a long political career that spanned the Cold War, Nixon broke ground and made achievements in foreign and domestic affairs that advanced the cause of freedom and changed history. He is also ultimately responsible for the biggest presidential scandal in American history, making Nixon a go-to symbol for the abuse of power.

Anyone who can be simultaneously associated with stellar achievements and base crimes is sure to stir mixed emotions upon historical review. Nixon has drawn all manner of queries and opinions about his character, his intellectual abilities, and his motivations. In some cases, this has led to grossly inaccurate assumptions about his political legacy. The biggest mistaken assumption, perhaps, being that Nixon governed as a conservative.

Because he was a lifelong Republican and a staunch anti-communist, Richard Nixon is commonly viewed as people often view contemporary Republicans — a small…