The Conservative Party

Question 1

What does the Conservative Party stand for? - The Conservative Party

Answer 1

The Conservative Party stands for the growth of business and the reduction in social tensions through supporting the vulnerable.

Question 2

What do Conservatives believe about human nature? - The Conservative Party

Answer 2

The Conservative Party believe humans to be competitive, but also disorderly and easily misled. They believe that strong and authoritarian order is needed to combat this, often as a hierarchy.

Question 3

What do Conservatives believe about Order? - The Conservative Party

Answer 3

Conservatives believe in the strict maintenance of order, in opposition to liberty, equality and (to a lesser extent) democracy infringing upon this as pioneered by liberal nations. Believe in a social hierarchy.

Question 4

What do Conservatives believe about Tradition and Preservation? - The Conservative Party

Answer 4

Conservatives believe in the preservation of traditional institutions and values believed to have allowed the prosperity of society through the stability that they offer. They oppose radicalism and dismantling of institutions.

Question 5

What do Conservatives believe about One Nation and Organic Society? - The Conservative Party

Answer 5

Conservatives believe in the reduction in social divisions which has developed due to the heavy concentration of wealth among a particular group. Believe in a society made up of groups which care and support one another.

Question 6

What do Conservatives believe about Pragmatism? - The Conservative Party

Answer 6

Believe that Conservatism as an ideology has to be prepared for small changes to preserve existing institutions in modern times. Smaller change to preserve prevents radical change.

Question 7

What do Conservatives believe about Property? - The Conservative Party

Answer 7

Traditionally defend the interests of the land-owning gentry but has now evolved to protect the interests of private owners of land, housing etc. as these give people a stake in society.

Question 8

What were pre-Thatcher economic and welfare policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 8

Economy: broad post-war consensus on state ownership of industry following its weakening after WW2.
Welfare: expansion of the welfare state, education and housing, consensus around the importance of the welfare state.

Question 9

What were pre-Thatcher law and order and foreign policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 9

L&O: ‘protect all citizens, regardless of creed or colour, from lawlessness’, a review of the penal system.
Foreign: Introduced UK into EEC in 1972, responsibility towards the still present British Empire against ‘Ignorance, want and disease’.

Question 10

What were Thatcherite economic policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 10

1989 reduced top rate of tax to 40%, restricted union power and their power to strike, championed the free market and privatisation to encourage wealth creation (communications of BT, energy, transport).

Question 11

What were Thatcherite welfare policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 11

1983: £1.1bn proposed to build new hospitals, privatisation of certain aspects of health service to reduce health budget, cutting in benefits to reduce ‘dependency culture’, 1980 Housing Act introduced the right to buy council houses.

Question 12

What were Thatcherite law and order policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 12

Section 28 banned the teaching of homosexuality in schools, proposals for an independent Crown Prosecution Service in 1983 led to the erosion of liberty, 10 new prisons in 1983.

Question 13

What were Thatcherite foreign policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 13

Remain members of the EEC as it was the largest free market in the world, Falklands War of 1982 due to conflict over British land, limited the ‘overly generous’ foreign aid budget.

Question 14

What were David Cameron’s economic policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 14

Austerity measures to cut public service funds and arrest decline in public finances, introduced tax-free minimum wage, maintained low top rate of income tax.

Question 15

What were David Cameron’s welfare policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 15

2010 - Austerity measures cutting expenditure on public services, privatisation of NHS elements to increase competition, introduction of job centres and jobseekers’ allowances.

Question 16

What were David Cameron’s law and order policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 16

2013 Same-Sex Marriage Act, toughen criminal sentences, scrap the Human Rights Act, develop the roles of elected police and crime commissioners.

Question 17

What were David Cameron’s foreign policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 17

Maintain Trident nuclear weapons system, aimed to use regular air strikes on Syria, 2015 renegotiated UK membership of the EU, putting this to a referendum in 2016.

Question 18

What were Theresa May’s economic and welfare policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 18

Economic: worker representation on company boards, 17% rate of corporation tax, keeping taxes as low as is feasible.
Welfare: 2017 dementia tax proposed, new rights in the workplace.

Question 19

What are Boris Johnson’s economic and welfare policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 19

Economic: Tax cuts for small businesses, reduction in business rates, ‘sensible’ regulation of business, low corporation tax.
Welfare: 50,000 more nurses over 5 years, 40 new hospitals, re-establish the nurses’ bursary, 20,000 new police officers.

Question 20

What are Boris Johnson’s law and order policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 20

Recruit 20,000 more police officers, create 10,000 new prison places, life sentences for child murderers, points-based immigration system, Coronavirus Act has suspended many civil liberties.

Question 21

What are Boris Johnson’s foreign policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 21

Leave the EU on the 31st December, aim to negotiate a Brexit Deal, expand the number of free trading agreements with non-EU countries, ‘Global Britain’ policies.

Question 22

What is the Tory Reform Group and what are their beliefs? Who are prominent members of this? - The Conservative Party

Answer 22

The Tory Reform Group faction leaning towards the centre of the party. Supports social cohesion, social equality and equal rights, although not economic equality. Its notable members are Ken Clarke, Robert Buckland and John Major.

Question 23

What is Cornerstone and what are their beliefs? Who are prominent members of this? - The Conservative Party

Answer 23

Cornerstone is a faction with a much more right-wing, traditional viewpoint on policy. It opposes reform to social values such as gay marriage and abortion, believing in the UK as a Christian country. Staunchly nationalist. Members include Priti Patel, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Sajid Javid and Kwasi Kwarteng.

Question 24

What is Conservative Way Forward and what are their beliefs? Who are prominent members of this? - The Conservative Party

Answer 24

Conservative Way Forward is a neo-liberal faction, supporting free markets and enterprise with low taxation and a deregulated economy. Opposed to union power and excessive welfare. Members include Liam Fox, William Hague, Sajid Javid and Margaret Thatcher.

Question 25

What is the Northern Research Group and what are its beliefs? Who are prominent members of this group? - The Conservative Party

Answer 25

The Northern Research Group is a group aiming to pressurise the government into providing greater economic support to Northern Tory Constituencies in light of coronavirus restrictions. Members include Jake Berry, Esther McVey and David Davis.

Question 26

What is the European Research Group and what are its beliefs? Who are prominent members of this group? - The Conservative Party

Answer 26

The ERG is a group concerned of further EU integration by the UK. Supported a hard Brexit, forced a vote of no confidence in Theresa May, accused of acting as a party within a party. Notable members include Micheal Gove, Priti Patel, Mark Francois and Sajid Javid.

Question 27

What is neo-liberalism? What are its 5 main components? - The Conservative Party

Answer 27

Neo-liberalism is the removal of state interference in the economic affairs of business and individuals. It encourages competition and individualism. Its main components are low taxation, deregulation, disengagement, trade union reform and the end of dependency culture.

Question 28

How does the neo-liberal ideology apply to taxation? What example has there been of this under Thatcher? - The Conservative Party

Answer 28

Neo-liberals believe high tax to support public spending on welfare and failed industry doesn’t reward hard work and harmed wealth creation. Taxes were lowered, with this reaching 40% at its top rate in 1989.

Question 29

How does the neo-liberal ideology apply to deregulation of the economy? How did Thatcher deregulate the economy? - The Conservative Party

Answer 29

Private companies competing with the state to provide services reduced led to limited wealth creation. Thatcher deregulated welfare, industry and the economy through privatisation of state owned industry and the increase in economic competition among private industry.

Question 30

How does the neo-liberal ideology apply to disengagement? How did Thatcher disengage from the UK economy? - The Conservative Party

Answer 30

The neo-liberal ideology dictated that the state should not intervene to bail out failing industries through public expenditure, with the market dictating what remains open through competition. Thatcher adopted this approach, with failing enterprises left to go under.

Question 31

How does the neo-liberal ideology apply to trade union reform? How did Thatcher reform trade unions? - The Conservative Party

Answer 31

Neo-liberals believe that unions were creating inflation and ineffective working practices through the power they wielded. Under Thatcher, the power of unions to organise industrial action was cut, with the most restrictive union laws in the Western World.

Question 32

How does the neo-liberal ideology apply to ending dependency culture? What example is this under David Cameron? - The Conservative Party

Answer 32

Neo-liberals have strong aversion to government intervention in the situations of the poor. They believe that the poor lazed around on benefits rather than seeking work, so limited benefits. This was seen in Iain Duncan-Smith’s welfare reforms of the coalition.

Question 33

What is neo-conservatism? What are its 3 key beliefs? - The Conservative Party

Answer 33

Neo-conservatism is a political ideology advocating for a strong and authoritarian state to maintain order. Its 3 key beliefs are in economic patriotism, social conservatism and monoculturalism.

Question 34

How does the neo-conservative ideology apply to economic patriotism? What example has there been recently in the UK and the US? - The Conservative Party

Answer 34

Neo-conservatives believe in the form of putting UK economic ideas first, opposing European integration, globalisation and international trade as they can potentially diminish domestic industry. This has been seen in the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and Trump’s ‘America First’ economic policy.

Question 35

How does the neo-conservative ideology apply to social conservatism? - The Conservative Party

Answer 35

Neo-conservatives have a strong, authoritarian stance in social issues such as crime, welfare and traditional values. They oppose liberal social values in favour of traditional family values and the nuclear unit.

Question 36

What examples are there of neo-conservative socially conservative values? - The Conservative Party

Answer 36

20,000 more police officers under the Johnson government, Section 28 under Thatcher, factions in the Conservative Party such as Cornerstone, Thatcher’s authoritarian police force.

Question 37

How does the neo-conservative ideology apply to monoculturalism? What example is there under Boris Johnson? - The Conservative Party

Answer 37

Neo-conservatives believe that all members of a society should adopt a broadly similar culture, with more extreme adherents intolerant of alternative cultures. This can be seen through Boris Johnson’s points based immigration system.

Question 38

What similarities exist between traditional conservatism and neo-conservatism? - The Conservative Party

Answer 38

Both intensely patriotic (seen in monoculturalism), both believe in law and order with a strong state to uphold and enforce the law, strong belief in traditional moral and family values, emphasis on strength of institutions such as the CofE and the monarchy.

Question 39

What similarities are there between traditional conservatism and neo-liberalism? - The Conservative Party

Answer 39

Both believe in an economic hierarchy between different social groups in society, both strongly champion the right of the individual to ownership (of property and money).

Question 40

What similarities are there between neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism? - The Conservative Party

Answer 40

Both (largely) support laissez-faire economics, based on far-right social and economic principles, both anti-welfare.

Question 41

What were Theresa May’s law and order policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 41

2017 Snooper’s Charter proposed (infringe on privacy), introduction of domestic violence and abuse bill, reduce net migration to tens of thousands.

Question 42

What were Theresa May’s foreign policies? - The Conservative Party

Answer 42

Aim to sign free trade deals with countries worldwide, spend 2% of GDP on defence, agree an EU withdrawal agreement.