Sound Philosophy
Sound Philosophy
Chadwick Jenkins
055- Hardcore Punk and Ronald Reagan
1 hour Posted Oct 24, 2022 at 4:33 pm.
0:00
1:00:45
Download MP3
Show notes

This episode opens with a thought experiment: just what might have Ronald Reagan have understood (all-too-well) in Chapter 2 of The Communist Manifesto. In particular, I examine Reagan's and neoliberalism's take on class struggle--and what class deserves to prevail. Then I turn to Reagan's policies (particularly his economics, foreign policy, and alignment with the Christian Right) and how those policies were viewed by punks. Finally, I look at Rock Against Reagan, bratcore, and some explicitly anti-Reagan punk songs to examine how Reagan served as the "Evil Father" to the hardcore punk generation.