Theories: The New Right

Question 1

What is the New Right?

Answer 1

A collection of right-wing ideas that advocated neo-liberal economics, anti-welfarism, a belief in traditional morality, and minimal government interference.

Question 2

Why is the New Right known as ‘Political functionalism’?

Answer 2

Because it is not social theory, it is an ideology which argues society is generally beneficial for individuals.

Question 3

What type of Theory is the New Right?

Answer 3

• Political
• Consensus
• Structural view
• Positivist
• Macro

Question 4

What is Neo-liberalism?

Answer 4

A set of economic and political ideas which became popular with the UK conservative government in 1980 and the New Labour government (1997-2010).

Question 5

What are the ideas of Neo-liberalism?

Answer 5

Stress the need for a free market (where prices are determined by the consumer) economy, in which competition between manufacturers and service providers is promoted with little regulation from the government. Believe free markets maximise personal freedom and consumer choice.

Question 6

How do the New Right view the family?

Answer 6

• See it as the cornerstone of society.
• Believe the nuclear family socialises children into traditional status roles.
• See traditional family as under attack from liberal government social policies.

Question 7

New Right - Traditional Mortality

Answer 7

New right thinkers emphasise traditional ways of thinking and conservative morals.

Question 8

New Right - Rolling back the state

Answer 8

• Support rolling back of state services and replacement with private providers.
• Services would then compete in a free market to provide a greater choice to consumers - competition thought to drive down prices and raise standards.
• Believe state provision of public services wastes money and is inefficient compared to private provision.

Question 9

Murray (1990)

Answer 9

Argues state benefits need to be cut so that members of the underclass are forced into the labour market to look for work.

Question 10

New Right - Anti-welfarism

Answer 10

The NR raises concerns about the breakdown of the family and the loss of individuals taking responsibility for themselves and their families, relying instead too greatly on what they deem an over-generous welfare state.

Question 11

What do the New Right believe an over-generous welfare state leads to?

Answer 11

A culture of dependency, increases in juvenile crime, and ultimately societal breakdown.

Question 12

What is Anti-welfarism?

Answer 12

Being against state benefits.

Question 13

What is a ‘culture of dependency’?

Answer 13

A culture in which individuals simply live off state benefits and don’t seek employment, over reliance on the welfare system.

Question 14

How does the family socialise people into traditional roles?

Answer 14

• Teaching children gender stereotypes
• Exposing children to parents who fulfil the traditional gender roles

Question 15

What do New Right thinkers believe competition does?

Answer 15

Maximise personal freedom and consumer choice, improve standards and quality of products.

Question 16

Why do critics of the New Right argue it justifies patriarchy?

Answer 16

Because it socialises children into ‘traditional’ gender roles, that encourage patriarchal views.

Question 17

Strengths of New Right Ideology:

Answer 17

• Proposes introducing social policy to overcome issues which may occur in certain parts of society.
• Has had an impact on all government post 1970.
• Ideas on society and how it should be organised has shaped both conservative and labour policy.
• Free-markets have encouraged competition and strengthened the economy.
• Provides political support for functionalist views on how social order is created.

Question 18

What is an example of a policy which has been introduced as a result of New Right ideas?

Answer 18

Troubled Families programme (2017) - initiative to try and tackle families where no one was employed.

Question 19

Feminist criticism of the New Right

Answer 19

The view that traditional gender roles and the nuclear family are best for children, is patriarchal, and promotes the oppression of women.

Question 20

Marxist criticisms of the New Right

Answer 20

Underclass theory places the blame for poverty on the behaviour of the individual, however Marxists recognise that poverty is actually caused by wider social, economic, and political factors over which people have little control.

Question 21

Field (1990)

Answer 21

Argues it is unfair for the New Right to engage in victim blaming.

Question 22

General criticisms of the New Right:

Answer 22

• No convincing evidence that a distinct subculture with its own unique value system actually exists.
• Emphasis on traditional values is dated and fails to take into account social changes.
• Little evidence that private provision is indeed more efficient than state provision.

Question 23

The New Right - SPF

Answer 23

The New Right have criticised single-parent families, but evidence suggests that despite poverty, single mothers do an effective job in raising their children.