The Conservative Party Flashcards
(53 cards)
When did the conservative party emerge from the Tory party?
1830s. Many date its birth to Robert Peel’s Tamworth Manifesto in 1834
What began to grow with industrialisation and international markets?
The capitalist middle classes which challenged the authority of the aristocracy and the landed gentry. Middle classes were largely represented by whigs and landed gentry by tories.
why were the tories described as conservatives?
They resisted new political structures that were growing up and wished to ‘conserve’ the dominant position of the upper class.
Who formed the conservative party and what were the party’s main objectives?
Sir Robert Peel (PM 1834-35 and 1841-46) and Benjamin Disraeli (PM 1868 and 1874-80). Main objectives were to prevent the country falling too far into inequality, to preserve unity of the kingdom, to preserve order in society.
Explain how Thomas Hobbes views on human nature reflect traditional conservative views of human nature
The views were reflected in his text ‘Leviathan’ (1651). He lived through the civil war. He had a negative view of human nature and said if there was not a strong government to control its citizens and resist dangerous innovation then the anarchy would ensue, ensuring that property would not be safe and violence would be endemic. Conservatives see humankind as liable to fall into disorder.
Explain how Edmund Burke’s conservative respect of tradition is connected to the conservative desire for public order
He was a whig MP (1729-97) who wrote ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). He said ‘No generation should consider itself superior to its predecessors’ The safest way for change is to approach problems pragmatically, respecting order and tradition. ‘Good order is the foundation of all good things’. Conservatives are always suspicious of new ideas which threaten the existing order.
Why did Burke praise traditions
He believed they were able to provide continuity between the past and the present. ‘Partnership between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are born’
By the 19th century what were the key characteristics of the tory party?
Property, pragmatism, authoritarianism, tradition and stability.
What were Benjamin Disraeli’s key ideas.
In his ‘Young England’ novels especially ‘Sybil’ (1845) he argued conservatism must unite the nation. He saw society as an organic body in which stability and prosperity is achieved through all classes and individuals appreciating their debt towards each other. He warned against Britain becoming two nations - the rich and the poor. Started one nation conservatism.
Explain ‘One nation’
The nation must be united. People should not put their selfish needs above the wellbeing of others. An inclusive society. We need to prevent Britain from becoming two nations or the rich and the poor as there is a divide.
Explain ‘paternalism’
The practice of governing individuals, businesses and the nation in an outwardly benevolent but often condescending way. The state should care for the needy and extensive social reforms which reduce inequality should be supported.
Explain ‘organic society’
Society is interdependent. Those who are well off should care for the poor in society. It leads to a belief that politics should not seek to change society artificially, it should be allowed to develop naturally.
Show that traditional conservatives are above all pragmatists.
Micheal Oakeshott (1901-90), a leading conservative philosopher said politics should be ‘a conservation, not an argument’. It shouldnt result in conflict over a political dogma theory but a gentle relationship between the government and the governed.
What is pragmatism?
A non-dogmatic approach where political action should never cause conflict. Its to preserve a stable society where order and security should be maintained and disorder should be avoided.
Whos interests do conservatives defend?
Home owners and the owners of land and businesses. Property ownership is a fundamental aspect of individualism. The right to own property reflects a civilised existence, property owners are seen to have a greater vested interest in order.
Who are some PMs which associated themselves with the one nation principles?
Stanley Baldwin (1923-24, 1924-30 and 1935-37), Harold Macmillan (1957-63) and Edward Heath (1970-74). They wanted to create a prosperous, inclusive society.
What is the New Right a combination of?
Neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism. Most of the time they lean towards one.
What did Thatcherism mark?
The death of the postwar consensus and the rise of more adversarial politics. Thatcher referred to old one nation tories as ‘wets’. Thatcherites favoured the importance of the individual rather than the needs of society.
Thatcherism offered a radical agenda including policies such as:
-deregulation in the field of business
-privatisation of publicly owned industries
-statutory limits on the power of trade unions
-a smaller state (‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’) and more limited state intervention in the economy
-a greater emphasis on national sovereignty
-more limited state welfare provision
Whats the New Right associated with?
A reaction against socialist ideas becoming influential in Europe, Asia and South America. Traditional conservative values were seen as too weak to deal with contemporary economic and social policies. It was associated in the US with Ronald Regan (president 1983-91) and in the UK with Thatcher (PM 1979-90)
Explain neo-liberalism
-Reducing direct taxes, privatising industries that had been taken over by the state (like transport and energy), reducing welfare benefits to decrease ‘dependency culture’ so they are only a ‘safety net’ for those who have no means of supporting themselves and curbing the powers of trade unions.
-allowing the economy to find its own natural level, even during recessions, rather than the state actively trying to control economic activity
What is neo-conservatism
-it promotes traditional ’national’ values and sees order as a key value to be maintained by the state
-seeks to impose a single national culture on society and does not tolerate different lifestyles
-law and order are crucial and the state should be authoritarian in nature.
Policy examples of neo-liberalism
-in 2012, the chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne cut the top rate of taxation from 50p to 45p. In 2017 they pledged not to increase VAT and aimed by 2020 to cut corporation tax to 17%, making the UK one of the most competitive countries in the world to do business.
-in 2017 they further demonstrated their commitment to reducing the burden of taxation by pledging to increase the threshold at which the top rate of taxation is paid to £50,000 as well as increasing the personal tax allowance to £12,500
Policy examples of neo-conservatism
-in 2017 manifesto they committed to cutting immigration to under 100,00 a year, demonstrating an emphasis known as the importance if maintaining the nation state as a shared community. More recently, the Home Secretary, Priti Patel created a policy for illegal immigrants to be deported to Rwanda
-they value constitutional traditions and so oppose further reform of the HoL. The emphasis on the central importance of the nation state has meant that Euroceptism became increasingly influential - during the 2016 referendum, 138 Conservative MPs signalled that they would vote to leave the EU compared to only 10 Labour MPs.
-Teresa May committed her government to a strong national security policy. The Trident nuclear deterrent remains the cornerstone of Conservative defence policy.
