The Sagebrush Rebellion and Wise Use movement of the 1980s and 1990s were part of a growing backlash against federal control over public lands in the American West. These movements were deeply tied to issues of land use, property rights, and environmental regulation, and they played a key role in shaping the New Right political identity.
The Sagebrush Rebellion began in the late 1970s and gained momentum in the early 1980s. It was driven by Western ranchers, miners, loggers, and local politicians who felt that the federal government (especially through the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service) had too much control over land in their states. They argued that more control should be returned to state or local authorities, especially as new environmental regulations—like those from the Endangered Species Act and the Wilderness Act—restricted traditional land uses such as grazing, logging, and mining.
The Wise Use movement grew in the late 1980s and into the 1990s as a more organized and broader effort. While the Sagebrush Rebellion was largely about Western public lands, Wise Use added a national agenda and included industries like timber, energy, and recreation. It pushed back against environmentalism, claiming that conservation efforts hurt economic development and violated individual freedoms. They used the language of personal rights and economic freedom to challenge wilderness designations and other forms of environmental protection.
These battles over land helped shape the New Right by linking Western discontent to broader conservative values. Opposition to federal overreach, support for property rights, suspicion of environmentalists, and appeals to rural identity became key pillars of the conservative movement. Politicians like Ronald Reagan supported the Sagebrush Rebellion, and in doing so, helped bring Western voters and interests into the conservative coalition that defined the New Right.
In summary, the Sagebrush Rebellion and Wise Use movement weren’t just about land—they were part of a larger cultural and political shift. By framing federal land management as a threat to freedom and local control, they helped energize the New Right and anchor conservative politics more firmly in the rural West.
Will Wright 
Hi,
I really like your analysis of the role of the Sagebrush Rebellion and Wise Use Movement in shaping the New Right during the 1980s and the 1990s. I agree with you on how the Sagebrush Rebellion was driven by ranchers, miners and local politicians. However, what’s missing here is the example of organizations like Texaco which also played a huge part in influencing the Sagebrush Rebellion. Lastly, I really liked how you pointed out in your blogpost how these battles over land shaped the New Right by linking Western discontent to conservatism. In summation, this was blogpost was concise, to the point and was a delight to read.
Thanks.
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