The Conservative Party Flashcards
How did the Conservatives start?
They originated out of the old Tory party of the late 17th C. They represented the defence of the monarchy and the Church of England.
What did Benjamin Disraeli develop in the 19th C?
One-Nation Conservatism
What does this mean?
1) Creating a paternalistic society in which there would be social obligation on the privileged.
2) Social reform.
3) A patriotic foreign policy.
4) Creating a national unity by uniting all social classes.
What are the core principles of “Thatcherism”?
1) Control of public spending with tax cuts.
2) Privatisation of state industries and services.
3) Limits to trade union and power.
4) Tough approach to law and order.
5) Protect more loss of sovereignty to the EU.
6) Individuals to take more responsibility of themselves and their families.
Thatcher believed that the economy would benefit from a policy known as “Monaterism”. What was this?
It meant that reducing the amount of money in the economy. This would make the economy more efficient as well.
Why did unemployment rise in 1981?
The government increased interest rates in order to get people to save more and spend less. Without the usual government bailouts, the largely inefficient manufacturing industry started to collapse.
Who did the party form a coalition with when David Cameron was elected PM into 2010?
The Liberal Democrats
How did the coalition help them become more popular?
They were more socially liberal so same-sex marriage could happen. They were also more media friendly and state managed.
What did the policies portray under Cameron and May?
Economic policy - Big cuts in public spending in order to deal with the deficits of the 2008 crash.
Welfare policy - Introduction of the Universal Credit to encourage welfare recipients to take more responsibility.
Law and order - More focus on rehabilitation with mentoring and training.
Foreign policy - Before the 2016 Brexit referendum, Cameron allowed MP’s to campaign on either Leave or Remain. Following the decision to leave the EU, Theresa May has described it as the “best deal for Britain.”
What are the principles that British Conservatives believe in?
A strong defence for our country, law and order, protection of property, respect for the monarchy and the established Church of England, respect for the institutions of power and a love of tradition.
What are the factions within the Conservative party?
1) Until the 1970’s the dominant force in the Tory party was ‘One-Nation Conservatism’ which was a moderate and centrist conservation.
2) Whilst One-Nation Conservatives do respect conservatism’s key principles, ‘paternalism’ also meant that there must be some sort of ‘safety seat’ for the poor and vulnerable. Since ONC’s accept the welfare state, traditional upper class Tories were later strongly opposed to Thatcher.
3) Conservatives were mostly Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum and share many beliefs with the Lib Dems and New Labour.
One-Nation Conservatives represent the left and centrist part of the Conservative party. What represents the right of the party?
1) Pro-Brexit supporters.
2) Cornerstone group who believe in traditional conservative Christian social values as well as free market economics and they’re bitterly opposed to same sex marriage.
