George Pratt Shultz (born December 13, 1920) is an American economist, statesman, and businessman. He served in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan as Secretary of Labor, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of State. Shultz is the longest-serving member of the Reagan cabinet and one of the few people to hold four different federal cabinet-level positions.
George Shultz’s Early Life
Shultz was born in New York City, the son of Margaret Lennox and Birl Earl Shultz. He attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, and graduated from Princeton University in 1942, receiving an A.B. in economics, summa cum laude. He received a Ph.D. in industrial economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1949.
George Shultz’s Career
Shultz served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, eventually rising to the rank of captain. He was an assistant professor at MIT from 1948 to 1957, and then became a professor of industrial relations at the University of Chicago. In 1969, he was appointed by President Richard Nixon as Secretary of Labor, and in 1972 he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. In 1982, President Reagan appointed him Secretary of State.
George Shultz’s Legacy
Shultz is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern American foreign policy. He was one of the architects of Reagan’s successful Cold War strategy, and has been credited with helping to bring about the collapse of the Soviet Union. Shultz is also remembered for his efforts to promote free trade, reduce arms control, and increase global economic cooperation. He was a strong advocate of democracy and human rights, and helped to expand the United States’ diplomatic presence in Latin America and Africa.
George Shultz is remembered as one of the most influential figures in modern American foreign policy. He was a strong advocate of democracy and free markets, and a key architect of President Reagan’s Cold War strategy. Shultz’s legacy continues to shape the United States’ foreign policy today.
