Paving the Way for Reagan

The introduction puts forward the basic thesis of the book that the three publications discussed played a key role in crafting a particular ideology in the area of foreign policy. These ideas created an ideological platform that revived the fortunes of the Republican Party, culminating in the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. The chapter also gives background on the history of National Review, Human Events, and Commentary. It discusses the publications’ key personalities and ideological points of view. It also analyzes the underlying historical themes and background of how the issues discussed in the book emerged.