Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
Tommy Thompson and the Conservative Revolution
As Wisconsin's economy expanded in the 1950s and 1960s, factories re-opened, cities flourished, and suburbs sprouted on land that had once been farming fields. After the demise of the Progressive Party in 1946, most of its members joined the Democratic Party. After Wisconsin Democrats reached their electoral peak in the 1970s, a major political shift began to take shape. As postwar economic prosperity gave way to sluggish economic growth and inflation, a new generation of conservative leaders with different ideas about the role and place of government in daily life rose to power.
The 1970s inflicted several blows to American confidence.... more...