Political Parties (Context, Origins, Divisions) Flashcards
What were the first Conservative Party objectives?
- Prevent the country falling too far into inequality.
- Preserve unity of the kingdom.
- Pragmatism.
What were the key principles of One Nation conservatism? (6)
- Strong law and order
- Faith in property and home ownership
- Tradition
- Pragmatism
- Noblesse oblige
- Organic society
What is Noblesse oblige?
- Those of higher social standing have a moral duty to help those of a lower social standing who have fallen on hard times. Paternalism
What are some neo liberalism ideas?
- High taxation prevents productivity.
- Welfare benefits create a dependency culture.
- Trade unions hinder economic development.
- Markets should not be regulated by the state.
What are principles of neo conservatism?
- Belief in the promotion and advancement of traditional values to ensure stability.
- Strong law and order in an authoritative state to impose social morality.
- Nationalism, believing pride and unification is the best way to maintain stability.
What are examples of factions within the Conservative Party?
- Bright Blue: Continue Cameron’s style social liberalism with concern for environment.
- Tory Reform Group: one nation tories who are quite left. Oppose Brexit.
- Cornerstone Traditional values, Christian, nationalist, and reactionary.
- European Research Group: Eurosceptics Hard right
What is Keynesian economics? (One nation)
- welfare state
- high employment
- state intervention
What faction of the conservatives support tradition, family values, and nationalism?
Cornerstone
Jacob Rees mogg
What are old labour values?
- Welfarism
- Centralised state
- Social justice
- Collectivism
- Equality of opportunity
What are some new labour values?
- Individualism > collectivism.
- Capitalism.
- Reject class conflict as all have equality through law.
- ‘Third way’ between socialism and free market.
- Enabling state.
- Constitutional reform.
- Equality of opportunity.
What was the primary idea of the Labour Party?
Improve conditions for the working class and to control excesses of capitalism.
What did labour form out of?
The trade union movement
What did Blair remove from the Labour constitution?
Clause IV- nationalisation / “common ownership”
What are the three factions of the Labour Party?
- Momentum: Corbyn far left
- blairites: centralist new labour
- Blue labour: socially conservative
What are the main values of the Liberal Democrats?
- Human rights and democracy
- The environment
- Constitutionalism (suspicious of gov power)
- Social justice and reform
- Multiculturalism
What did the liberal party emerge from?
A coalition between whigs and radicals
How did the Liberal Democrats influence the 2010 coalition?
Injected green politics and pupils premium to support school funding.
Why did the electorate punish the Liberal Democrat’s?
Raised uni tuition fees
What leader lost their seat to SNP?
Joe Swinson
What are the two factions of the Liberal Democrat’s?
- Social liberals: former members of labour. Redistribution of income through tax and welfare.
- Orange book liberals: enhance individual liberties. Neo liberalism, minimal economic interference . Clegg and Cable published ‘Orange Book’ in 2004 arguing for a return to economic liberalism. This was opposed by Simon hughes who favoured a more tax and spend approach
What is co-option?
When the policies of smaller parties are adopted by major parties.
What are SNPs main policies?
- Independence as a sovereign state within the EU.
- Supports constitutional reforms (second elected chamber, proportional rep, vote for 16).
- Abolish uni tuition fees.
- Welfare state.
What are some Green Party policies?
- Low cost, environmentally friendly homes financed by gov.
- Investment in public transportation
- Uni tuition fees abolished
- Wealth tax to top 1% of income ladder
- Living wage of £10 an hour
- Special tax on large banks
- Universal basic income of £90 a week
What are some impacts of minor parties?
- Rise of small parties led to labours loss.
- SNP eclipsed main parties in Scotland. Main parties had to support further devolution.
- UKIP encouraged euroscepticism and reducing immigration.