hards, rural reactionaries, the more farouche and paranoid fringes of the radical Right, and the divided remnants of the old, Marxist, Left."(Hodgson 116) Not many people were left out of the "Big Tent".
             Hodgson argues that the consensus can be summarized in a set of six interrelated maxims. First, old capitalism is different from the new American free-enterprise system. This system creates abundance and is very democratic. In terms of social justice this system has revolutionary potential. Next, he feels that the key to this potential is production and economic growth. This economic growth creates incremental resources, therefore eliminating social conflict between classes. Thirdly, this causes a natural harmony of interests in society almost eliminating classes. Workers were now becoming middle class members of society. He also believed that social problems could be solved in an industrial sort of way. First, by identifying the problem and creating programs to solve them. Next, by government enlightened in social sciences they can apply inputs to the problem solving, such as money and resources. The fifth of the maxims is that the main threat to this system comes from Marxism, and that the U.S. and its Free World allies could expect a prolonged struggle against communism. Lastly, he feels that the U.S. needs to bring the free enterprise system to the rest of the world.
             To further understand the situation of Vietnam soldiers we must look at the U.S. foreign policy of the times. Between 1959 and 1961 the Gallup poll asked Americans what they felt was the "the most important problem" facing this great nation of ours.
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