Component 1 - UK Politics - Political Parties Flashcards
Left wing Ideologies
- Create a fair and equal society through positive state intervention
- The wealthy should pay more taxes
- Welfare state
- Social progression
- Strong international relations
Right wing Ideology
- Limiting excessive state intervention
- Keep taxation low for everyone
- Strong national identity
- Protecting individual liberty
- Emphasis on law and order order
What is Consensus Politics?
- Where two parties have closely linking ideologies and can lead to lots of policy being pushed through
Example: 1950’s the shared commitment of the Labor Chancellor, Hugh Gaitskell, and the Conservative Chancellor, R.A Butler to full employment and mixed economy. Led to the term ‘Butskellism’
What is adversary politics?
- Where two political parties have major differences and can lead to a lack of progress being made in Parliament
Example: 1980’s the Labour leader Michael foot was fundamentally at odds with free market reforms made by Thatcher
What are the 6 main functions of a Political Party?
- Representation: act in the interests of a large group in society
- Participation: allow the public to influence political process and decision
- Elections: To provide candidates to run in elections
- Government: Hold the government to account and run the country
- Organisation: to create a manifesto that reflects the ideologies of their members
- Education: to inform the general public of their party
What is a political party?
- Have an organised body with a formal membership
- People with shared ideological identities and political preferences
- Aim to become a government by mobilising support
- Have a broad focus on lots of issues
Who can fund parties and why?
- Individual funding: often given by party members and can hugely influence policy
- Companies: economic stakes
- Trade unions: fund Labour Party
What types of funding do parties (not donations)?
Policy Development grants - allocate 2 million so policy advisers can be employed
Short Money - given to opposition parties based on the number of seats they have. Leader of the opposition is given 800,000 for running office
Cranborne Money - given to the opposition party in the Lords so that scrutiny can be carries out
What is one nation conservatism?
Main Influence: Benjamin Disraeli
- Unite the nation
- all classes and individuals appreciating their debt to each their
- Putting the wellbeing of society above self-interest
- Supported extensive social reform
What is Traditional Conservatism?
- Strong government to ensure anarchy would not ensue
- Resist radical change to the British Constitution
- Strongly linked with the Church of England
- Giving the public more freedom
What is The New right?
Main Influence: Margret Thatcher
- Neo-conservatism: a more authoritarian approach to law and order
- Neo-liberalism: limited state intervention and a free market approach
- Create wealth for yourself
- Limit taxation
- Discourage dependency culture
- Strong on Traditional Values
What is Old Labour?
Main Influence: Clement Attlee
- Represents the views of the working class
- Principle of Collectivism
- Nationalisation
- Redistribution of tax
- Extensive welfare state
- Close links with Trade unions
- Rejected the free market approach and Thatcherism
What is The Third way/New Labour?
Main Influence: Tony Blair
- A more centrist approach
- Widened to focus on a bigger class range
- Less robust trade unions
- State as a provider rather than an enabler
- Encouraging economic growth with more right-wing policy’s
What is Classic Liberalism?
Main Influence: William Gladstone
- Individual freedom acheived by state playing a minimal role
- Free market approach
- limiting the monarchy
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What is Modern Liberalism
- Emerged as a reaction to free-market capitalism
- Wanted everyone to be free but not left alone
- same standards of living for everyone
