Development + Policies Of Conservative Party

Question 1

What is the background of the Conservative Party

Answer 1

-dates back to 1834 + is most successful Br political party
-has held office for 2/3 of period since 1900
-drew core support from landed aristocracy
-principles encompassed defence Church of England + opposition to political reform
-4 main strands of ideals - one nation conservatism, burskellite pragmatism + consensus, traditional values + Thatcherism

Question 2

What is one nation conservatism

Answer 2

-associated with Victorian PM Disraeli
-focussed on duty of those with power + privilege to use it wisely
-unite nation by moderate social reform + patriotism
-Disraeli — ‘palace not safe when cottage not happy’
-echoes of this in Cameron’s espousal of ‘big society’ — govt action to local action + equipping people with what they need to make real difference in their communities

Question 3

What is butskellite pragmatism + consensus

Answer 3

-wake of 1945 labour landslide + established welfare state including NHS the cons party shifted further centre + accepted lab reforms
-1950 s + 60s large areas consensus in many jet policy areas between 2 main parties
-butskellite conservatism is pro-European + cons keen join EEC which Heath led uk to in 1973

Question 4

What are the traditional values

Answer 4

-reflects party’s ongoing insistence supporting traditional nuclear family + marriage while maintaining firm line on immigration policy
-echoes of ideal in slogans e.g. John major’s ‘Back to Basics’ campaign 1993 ‘time get back to basics, to self discipline + respect for the law’
-e.g. mays promise create ‘hostile environment’ for illegal immigrants as Home Secretary

Question 5

What is Thatcherism

Answer 5

-as ideology it dominated party’s thinking + policies in 1980s
-represented conviction over compromise
-thatcher on crusade to promote individual freedom, slay ‘dragons’ of powerful TUs + emph self-help
-aim to denationalise govt owned industries + encourage council tenants to buy own homes
-the prolonged miners strike 1884-85 saw thatchers govt break power of most powerful union the NUM
-embraced confident, assertive foreign police, overseeing Falklands 1982 victory

Question 6

How did the conservative 2019 manifesto pledges affect the 4 strands of conservatism

Answer 6

-extra funds NHS + 50000 more nurses — butskellite consensus as acceptance + expansion of welfare state
-promise not raise rate of income tax, VAT or nations insurance — Thatcherism
-make Br world leader tackling plastic pollution + creating independent office for environmental protection — mixture butskellite + one nation as tacking environment