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Ronald Reagan, in my view, was the greatest of post-World War II American presidents. More than anybody else, he followed the policies that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the final victory of a more free-market approach to the management of economies over the centrally planned approach of the old eastern states ... His greatest legacy will be the end of Soviet communism.

Ronald Reagan#137

Cold warLegacyEconomicsPresidency

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker credits Reagan with pivotal policies that ended the Cold War and advanced free-market economics globally.
In plain terms
Reagan is viewed as the top post-WWII president for ending communism and promoting free markets.
What can you take from it?
Reagan’s policies are credited with ending the Soviet Union and advancing free markets.

Where it applies

  • historical analysis
  • political debates
  • economic policy reviews

Putting it to work

  • evaluate post-war leadership
  • study cold war outcomes

Questions to consider

  • What factors truly ended the Cold War?
  • How do we measure a president’s legacy?

Another view

Attributing the Soviet collapse solely to Reagan overlooks internal Soviet issues and broader global factors.

More from Ronald Reagan

  1. President Reagan was the Churchill of his era. His commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy and his boundless optimism for humanity will remain an…

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  2. This is an enormously sad day. President Reagan was one of the towering figures of our time, and the man who, with Margaret Thatcher, won the Cold War for the …

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  3. The dialogue that President Reagan and I started was difficult. To reach agreement, particularly on arms control and security, we had to overcome mistrust and …

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