New right conservatism

Question 1

What did is the new right?

Answer 1

It is the marriage between neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism

Question 2

What cause the emergence of the new right?

Answer 2

• emerged in the UK and US which was a reaction against the ideas of one-nation conservatism, modern liberalism and social democracy. The new right is formed of two stands: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism

Question 3

what does neoliberalism focus on?

Answer 3

• focused on a minimal state, an atomistic (society is a loose collection of self-interested and self-sufficient individuals) society, a free-market economy and individual freedom. This was a critique of western governments in the 70s who struggled with stagflation (persistent high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant demand)
• a modernised version of classical liberalism

Question 4

Give examples of neoliberalism

Answer 4

• private ownerships, letting banks go private and home ownership

Question 5

what is neoconservatism?

Answer 5

• modernised version of traditional conservatism focused on morality, social order and hawkish foreign policy (displaying an aggressive, warlike or very strong position politically, economically or diplomatically)

Question 6

Further expand on neo-liberalism

Answer 6

• human nature is rational and self-seeking. Rand rejects ideas of human imperfection
• society is atomistic Nozick and Rand argue individual rights and freedom are more important than societal obligations and duties
• ‘rolling back the state’ reducing its size and role in the running of society to protect individual freedom. They argue that high taxation infringes individual rights and that a welfare state creates dependency culture
• believe in a free market embracing negative freedom - the belief that government intervention in the market interferes with the natural organic running of the economy and places artificial restrictions on business owners and buyers
• they only intervene to prevent inflation they view Keynesian policies as inflationary reducing economic activity

Question 7

Discuss Ayn Rand

Answer 7

Key work: virtue of selfishness (1964)
- an atomistic society where individuals enjoy negative freedom
- individuals are rational and their highest moral purpose is the achievement of personal happiness
- loathed organic society because of the obligations demanded from individuals eroded freedom
- only moral purpose of society was to protect individual rights
- against welfare provision as she believed must maintain their lives through their own efforts

Question 8

Discuss Robert Nozick

Answer 8

• argued for self-ownership, meaning that individuals own their bodies, talents and abilities
• believed in a minarchist government with minimal interference in the lives of individuals makes the best for society
• state’s primary function is to protect individual human rights with its involvement limited to ‘narrow functions of force, theft, enforcement of contracts and so on’
• ‘the state has too much power over personal freedom’
  -‘taxation of earnings from labour is on a par with forced labour’

Question 9

Discuss neo-conservatism

Answer 9

• an organic society based on Christian views and traditional values
• abolition of abortion laws
• antipathy to homosexuality and LGBTQ rights
• welfare state creates dependency culture
• organic authoritarians promoting strict law and order Thatcher and Reagan had a ‘war’ on recreational drugs and advocated long prison sentences
• advocates hawkish foreign policy to protect the security of the state
• UK Falklands war