The Conservative Party Flashcards
when was the party founded?
-1830s
what are the key concepts of the conservative party?
-human imperfection
-hierarchy
-tradition
-authority
-organicism
-property
-pragmatism
what is one nation conservatism?
-one nation philosophy sought to bridge the gulf between the classes through a paternalistic social policy natural leaders of society would accept an obligation to act benevolently towards the disadvantaged in return for acceptance to rule.
-sought to win popular support by means of reform and a patriotic foreign policy designed to strengthen national unity.
what is new right conservatism?
-sought to reduce state intervention in the economy whilst restoring order to society in the face of rising challenges from militant trade unions and other groups on the left.
-comprised of: control of public spending and tax cuts to provide incentives for business leaders to stimulate economic growth, privatisation of industries, legal limits on trade unions and tough approach to law and order.
-‘roll back the state’
how did Macmillan use conservatism?
-followed a devoutly one nation form.
-state oversaw the role of ‘little platoons’
-widen the reach of the welfare state, expand state management of the economy and also maintain the continued support for NHS and education.
how did Thatcher use conservatism?
-belief in the rational, self interested individual.
-New right, sought to dramatically change the existing economic and social order rejecting and breaking from the past.
-principle goal was to roll back the frontiers of the state.
-radical policies: privatisation, low taxes particularly for the rich and free markets.
what do neo-conservatives advocate during Thatcher?
-strong stance on law and order, police service conditions improved and sentences made harsher.
-traditional family values, banned the promotional of homosexuality in schools and critical of single mothers.
-strongly nationalist, after Falklands she played the nationalist card including greater emphasis on national sovereignty and was eurosceptic.
when was Thatcher removed from power?
- November 1990 by her cabinet
Conservative economic policies in 2019 which are New Right in nature?
-fiscal responsibility, 2019 manifesto commitment to not borrowing to fund day to day spending and limiting infrastructure spending to no more than 3% of GDP.
-committed to further tax cuts on high earners pledging to raise the threshold for paying the 40p top tax rate from 50,000 to 80,000.
-strong commitment to free trade and a points based immigration system.
conservative economic policies in 2019 which are one nation in nature?
-economic strategy of reaching Net zero carbon emissions by 2050 by investing in clean energy solutions and green infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
-aim of tackling the cost of living pressures and in the 2019 manifesto pledged to increase national living wage.
-pragmatic approach to COVID-19 Pandemic introduced furlough scheme and paid 80% of wages for about 11.9 million people
welfare policy in 2019 which are one nation in nature?
-pledged to strengthen the NHS by building 40 more hospitals, hiring 17,000 more doctors and 17,000 nurses.
welfare policy in 2019 which are new right in nature?
-desire to roll back the state and tackle the debt and the deficit, benefits system was cut and restructured with the introduction of the benefits cap, universal credit cap.
law and order policy in 2019 which are new right in nature?
-home secretary has clamped down on immigration with proposal for new points based system and following the London Bridge terrorism PM ended early release for those found guilty of terrorism.
-pledged to punish M25 protesters hard.
law and order policy in 2019 which are one nation in nature?
-party leadership endorsed many policies to restrict individual liberty with the aim of protecting the wider health of society including fines for not wearing masks in public and for not isolating.
-focus between 2010-19 on rehabilitation revolution arguing that prison had become a revolving door for criminals who learned how to do worse crimes in jail
foreign policy policies in 2019 which are one nation in nature?
-favour a closer relationship with the EU, accept result of referendum but argue a soft Brexit would have been preferable.
