Editing Ralph Nader (section)

{{Short description|American lawyer and activist (born 1934)}}
{{Pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ralph Nader
| image              = Naderspeak.JPG
| caption            = Nader in 2007
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1934|2|27}}
| birth_place        = [[Winsted, Connecticut]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| party              = {{ubli|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (1952–1996)|[[Green Party of the United States|Green]] (1996–2003)|[[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform]] (2004–2008)|[[Independent politician|Independent]] (2008–present)}}
| education          = {{ubli|[[Princeton University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])|[[Harvard University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])}}
| mother             = [[Rose Nader]]
| relatives          = {{plainlist|
* [[Shafeek Nader]] (brother)
* [[Claire Nader]] (sister)
* [[Laura Nader]] (sister)
}}
| awards             = {{ubli|[[Gandhi Peace Award]]|[[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Horchow Award for Public Service by a Private Citizen]]|[[Automotive Hall of Fame]]}}
| occupation         = {{hlist|Lawyer|activist|environmentalist|author}}
| signature          = Ralph Nader Signature.svg
| website            = {{URL|nader.org|Official website}}
| module             = {{Infobox military person
 | embed = yes
 | allegiance   = {{flag|United States}}
 | branch       = {{army|United States}}
 | serviceyears = 1959}}
}}

'''Ralph Nader''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|eɪ|d|ər}}; born February 27, 1934)<ref>{{cite web|title= Ralph Nader Biography and Interview |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/ralph-nader/#interview}}</ref> is an American lawyer and political activist involved in [[consumer protection]], [[environmentalism]], and government reform causes. He is a [[Perennial candidate|perennial presidential candidate]]. His 1965 book ''[[Unsafe at Any Speed]]'', which criticized the automotive industry for its safety record, helped lead to the passage of the [[National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act]] in 1966.

The son of Lebanese immigrants to the United States, Nader attended [[Princeton University]] and [[Harvard Law School]]. He quickly developed an interest in vehicle designs that were hazardous and contributed to elevated levels of car accidents and fatalities.<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite web |date=September 29, 2023 |title=Ralph Nader {{!}} Biography, Unsafe at Any Speed, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ralph-Nader |access-date=September 30, 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Published in 1965, ''Unsafe at Any Speed'' became a highly influential critique of the safety record of American automobile manufacturers, focusing on General Motors' (GM's) Corvair automobile in particular.

Following the publication of ''Unsafe at Any Speed'', Nader led a group of volunteer law students—dubbed "Nader's Raiders"—in an investigation of the [[Federal Trade Commission]], leading directly to that agency's overhaul and reform. In the 1970s, Nader leveraged his growing popularity to establish a number of advocacy and watchdog groups including the [[Public Interest Research Group]], the [[Center for Auto Safety]], and [[Public Citizen]]. Two of Nader's most notable targets were the [[Chevy Corvair]] and the [[Ford Pinto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/10/28/9622838/ralph-nader-american-museum-of-tort-law |title = Ralph Nader is still punching companies where it hurts |date=October 28, 2015 |publisher=[[The Verge]] |last=Warren |first=Tamara}}</ref>

Nader made four bids to become President of the United States, running with the [[Green Party (United States)|Green Party]] in [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]] and [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]], the [[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform Party]] in [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]], and as an [[independent politician|independent]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]. In each campaign, Nader said he sought to highlight under-reported issues and a perceived need for electoral reform. He received nearly three million votes during his [[Ralph Nader presidential campaign, 2000|2000 candidacy]], but also stirred controversy over allegations that his campaign helped [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate [[George W. Bush]] win a close election against [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] candidate [[Al Gore]]. In 2006 ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]],'' calling Nader one of the hundred most influential Americans in history, said, "He made the cars we drive safer; thirty years later, he made [[George W. Bush]] the president."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200612/influentials|title=The Top 100: The Most Influential Figures in American History|work=Atlantic Monthly|date=December 2006|page=62}}</ref>

A two-time [[Nieman Fellowship|Nieman Fellow]], Nader is the author or co-author of more than two dozen books and was the subject of a documentary film on his life and work, ''[[An Unreasonable Man]]'', which debuted at the 2006 [[Sundance Film Festival]]. He has been repeatedly named to lists of the "100 Most Influential Americans", including those published by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'', ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', and ''[[The Atlantic]]''. ''[[The New York Times]]'' described him as a "dissident".<ref>{{cite news |first=Warren Jr. |last=Weaver |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/01/26/archives/a-dozen-dissidents-criticize-the-president-and-the-government-in.html |title=A Dozen Dissidents Criticize the President and the Government in 'the People's State of the Union' |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 26, 1972 }}</ref>