Political Parties

Question 1

The Conservative Party - Traditional Conservatism

Answer 1

Robert Peel ( PM 1834-35 and 1841-46) - he stressed the importance of gradual reform in order to protect or conserve.

Question 2

The Conservative Party - One Nation Conservatism

Answer 2

Benjamin Disraeli ( PM 1868 and 1874-80) - he contemplates growing division between rich and poor.
Sought to win popular support by means of social reform and a ‘patriotic’ foreign policy (to strengthen national unity).

Question 3

When did One Nation Conservatism peak?

Answer 3

After WWII
Post war Conservatism balanced an attachment to free enterprise with state intervention in economic and social policy.

Question 4

The Conservative Party - Thatcherism and the New Right

Answer 4

Margaret Thatcher ( Tory leader 1975-90) - sought to reduce state intervention in the economy, while restoring order to society.
Radical policy rejected One Nation Conservatism.

Question 5

What policies did Thatcherism want?

Answer 5

Control of public spending.
Privatisation (to promote improvement and competition).
Legal limits on the power of trade unions.
Tough approach to law and order.

Question 6

The Conservative Party - Post Thatcherite

Answer 6

Thatcher was a dominant but divisive figure who aroused both admiration and hostility within and beyond her party - she departed in November 1990.
Her immediate successor was John Major (1990-1997) - he sought to reconcile 2 competing party factions (unsuccessful).
-Contributed to a devastating general election defeat in 1997.

Question 7

Post Thatcherite and why it failed

Answer 7

Ageing membership and outdated policies - the party failed to appeal to an increasingly diverse society.
Unsuccessful leaders until David Cameron- 2005, who attempted to ‘detoxify’ the Tory brand.

Question 8

The Conservative Party - Cameron

Answer 8

David Cameron (2005-2016) - respected Thatcher but was aware of necessary change. He emphasised the bonds between people (unlike Thatcher who thrusted individualism).
Argued the case for cooperation.

Question 9

Cameron’s party and how Conservatism had changed

Answer 9

Thatcher’s morally authoritarian outlook was replaced by support for the legislation of gay marriage.
-Basically an updated version of One-Nation Conservatism.
His moderate tone helped him to form a coalition government in 2010 with Lib Dem- this lasted 5 years.
Formed a purely Conservative government in May 2015.

Question 10

Cameron’s policies (close to Thatcher)

Answer 10

Remained close to many of Thatcher’s ideas:
Economic policy- reduce the budget deficit inherited from the Labour Party.
Welfare policy- the coalitions policies were intended to cut costs and encourage those on benefits to be more self reliant.
Foreign policy- consistent with Thatcherism ( strong links with the USA).

Question 11

Cameron’s policies (away from Thatcher)

Answer 11

Law and order- Took a more liberal stance. He supported tough sentencing (e.g London riots 2011) but also promoted ‘rehabilitation revolution’ (to reduce reoffenders).

Question 12

Conservative ideologies

Answer 12

Traditional and One Nation - pragmatic
Thatcherism - dogmatic
Cameron - pragmatic

Question 13

Conservative Tax

Answer 13

Traditional and One Nation - preference for low tax
Thatcherism - against high taxes
Cameron - preference for low tax

Question 14

Conservative State and Economy

Answer 14

Traditional and One Nation - State should be used to improve the lot of the very poor, and more likely to ‘manage’ the economy.
Thatcherism - Reduce state control and local government, and support laissez-faire policies with reluctance to interfere.
Cameron - State is needed to help the deprived but minimally, with a belief in power and a desirability of free markets.

Question 15

What do all three conservative thinkers agree on?

Answer 15

A tough approach to law and order.
Mostly believe in traditional values- with the acceptance of Cameron’s approval of gay couples.
Support property rights.

Question 16

The Labour Party - Old Labour (social democracy) dates

Answer 16

1945-1994, its aim was to get more working class MPs into parliament to improve living and working conditions.
Politically active working people tended to vote for the Liberal Party.

Question 17

The Labour Party - Old Labour (post-war)

Answer 17

1945 was the first majority Labour government. Post war they described themselves as ‘socialist’ but weren’t social democrats.
They didn’t try and eliminate capitalism but hope to manage it.

Question 18

The Labour Party - Old Labour beliefs

Answer 18

Equality of Opportunity in the welfare state/policy.

Question 19

When was the last Old Labour election?

Answer 19

1979 general election with the defeat of James Callaghan.
- Made a division between moderate social democrats and more left wing elements.
They lost in 1983 election.

Question 20

The Labour Party - New Labour ( Third Way)

Answer 20

1994-2010, Tony Blair and his more centrist ways.
Downgraded the role of trade unions.
The party was rebranded as New Labour.
Aided by the disintegration of John Major’s Tory gov, he won a landslide victory in 1997.
Was re-elected twice more before Gordon Brown in 2007.