How did Ronald Reagan's aggressive economic policies contribute to the collapse of the Soviet Union?

A.

Reagan's policies eased the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States, causing many Soviets to favor capitalism over communism.

B.

Reagan's policies forced the Soviet Union to spend more money on weapons and military commitments, exposing weaknesses within the Soviet economy.

C.

Reagan's policies encouraged Soviet citizens to immigrate to the United States, greatly lowering the population of the Soviet Union and damaging its economy.

D.

Reagan's policies made it easier for Soviet citizens to speak out against communism, leading to protests and revolutions in communist countries.

A.

Reagan's policies eased the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States, causing many Soviets to favor capitalism over communism.

A

Explanation:

Soon after taking office as president, Reagan began implementing sweeping new political and economic initiatives. His supply-side economic policies, dubbed "Reaganomics", advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth, economic deregulation, and reduction in government spending. In his first term, he survived an assassination attempt, spurred the War on Drugs, invaded Grenada, and fought public sector labor unions. Over his two terms, the economy saw a reduction of inflation from 12.5% to 4.4% and an average real GDP annual growth of 3.4%. Reagan enacted cuts in domestic discretionary spending, cut taxes, and increased military spending, which contributed to increased federal debt overall. Foreign affairs dominated his second term, including the end of the Cold War, the bombing of Libya, the Iran-Iraq War, and the Iran-Contra affair. In June 1987, four years after he publicly described the Soviet Union as an "evil empire", Reagan challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!", during a speech at the Brandenburg Gate. He transitioned Cold War policy from détente to rollback by escalating an arms race with the USSR while engaging in talks with Gorbachev. The talks culminated in the INF Treaty, which shrank both countries' nuclear arsenals. Reagan began his presidency during the decline of the Soviet Union, which ultimately collapsed nearly three years after he left office.

When Reagan left office in 1989, he held an approval rating of 68%, matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and later Bill Clinton, as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era.[2] He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms after the five prior presidents did not. Although he had planned an active post-presidency, Reagan disclosed in November 1994 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease earlier that year. Afterward, his informal public appearances became more infrequent as the disease progressed. He died at home on June 5, 2004. His tenure constituted a realignment toward conservative policies in the United States, and he is an icon among conservatives. Evaluations of his presidency among historians and the general public place him among the upper tier of American presidents.