Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

How did the Moral Majority aid the Republican Party?

Answer
VerifiedVerified
544.2k+ views
Hint: A powerful American political organization affiliated with the Christian right and the Republican Party was the Spiritual Majority. It was founded in \[1979\] and disbanded in the late \[1980s\] by Baptist minister Jerry Falwell Sr. and associates. It played a key role in mobilizing conservative Christians as a political power in the \[1980s\], and particularly in the Republican presidential victories.

Complete answer:
In \[1979\], Jerry Falwell founded the Moral Majority, which concentrated on protecting treacherous religious beliefs. It persuaded the Republican Party to be supported by many religious people. Indeed, the Left was seen as the political side that backed the emancipation of morality.
In reaction to the social and cultural changes that took place in the United States in the \[1960s\] and '\[70s\], the Moral Majority was created. A variety of changes that, in their opinion, threatened to weaken the conventional cultural values of the world were alarmed by Christian fundamentalists. Moreover, the group advocated higher military funding, strict anti-Communist foreign policy, and continuing support for Israel by the United States. While some protested the incorporation of Catholics, Mormons, and Jews, the organization energized the religious right, and it soon expanded to several million people. The actions of the Religious Majority included registration of voters, lobbying, and fund-raising. It had an almost immediate impact on American politics, as it was credited with helping Republican Ronald Reagan win the \[1980\] presidential election.
In the first half of the \[1980s\], the Spiritual Majority remained a political power, operating at both the state and national levels. The company, however, encountered organizational problems and declining funding by the end of the decade. Falwell retired as president in \[1987\], and many prominent evangelists became entangled in controversy during this time. Differences within the movement became clear when, in the \[1988\] presidential race, Falwell backed George H.W. Bush rather than Pat Robertson, another televangelist. Furthermore, the organization saw its fund-raising decline drastically. The Moral Majority was dissolved in \[1989\]. However, by creating the religious right as an important political player, the Spiritual Majority are credited with making a lasting contribution to American politics.

Note: The Moral Majority rejected the Engel v. Vitale ruling of the Supreme Court in \[1962\], which forbade government-written prayers in public schools, as well as the landmark decision of Roe v. Wade in \[1973\], which legalized abortion. The Civil Rights Amendment and gay rights were both condemned by it.