Labour Secret Agent Spy:  Mini Mission

TRADITIONAL CONSERVATISM

• Edmund Burke – “a state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation”.
• Cautious, modest and pragmatic – reflects a suspicion of fixed principles whether revolutionary or reactionary.
• Ian Gilmour – “the wise conservative travels light” – the values that conservatives hold most dear (tradition, order, authority, property) will only be safe if policy is developed in the light of practical circumstances and experiences. Not held down by dogmas. “Change in order to conserve”.
• Oakeshott and his dislike of rigid ideologies; conservatism is “a conversation not an argument”
• Pragmatic conservatives support neither the state nor individual, but are prepared to support either, or both…depending on ‘what works’.
• Oldest form of conservatism – not many people had the vote at this time
• Strong views on importance of hierarchy – individuals have their place and corresponding duties for society to function
• High status comes with the responsibility to look after those below you (noblesse oblige)
• Ideas and values had to gradually evolve to appeal to a broader franchise
• Benjamin Disraeli developed conservatism for this reason after the Great Reform Act 1832 creating one-nation conservatism

Labour Secret Agent Spy:  Mini Mission

ONE NATION CONSERVATISM

• Updating of traditional conservatism to reflect changing social and economic context
• 19th century – Benjamin Disraeli – emphasis of the principle of social obligation in stark contrast to extreme individualism then dominant within the political establishment.
• Growing social inequality contains the seeds of revolution – poor and oppressed working class would not simply accept its misery. Reform = sensible – stemming the tide of the revolution, it would ultimately be in the interests of the rich, particularly with changes in the voting franchise.
• Paternalism appealed to those with little wealth and enjoy sizeable support amongst the working class today as a result – electorally successful
• Opposed to state control of citizens but believe in firm government (as long as it does not oppress individuals) – e.g. even during WW2 Churchill opposed the introduction of ID cards because it was associated with the mechanisms of a totalitarian state, similarly the 2010 Coalition of Con & LD scrapped Labour’s ID card scheme
• One nation conservatism resurfaced later as ‘compassionate conservatism’
• Critics argue that paternalistic conservatism only provides a basis for social and economic intervention.
• They suggest the original purpose of one-nationism is simply to consolidate hierarchy, and its wish to improve the conditions of the less well-off is limited to the desire to ensure that the poor no longer pose a threat to the established order.

Labour Secret Agent Spy:  Mini Mission

NEW RIGHT CONSERVATISM

• New Right = libertarian economics + authoritarian social policy (almost contradictory ideas!)
• g. Thatcher – wanted to reduce role of the state (e.g privatisation, deregulation) but used government power to confront trade unions and local councils
• NR believe the role of the state is to guide people towards the correct way to live (this has been particularly contentious on wedge social issues in both the US and UK, for example gay marriage/acceptance of homosexuality, abortion, gun rights etc).

• Directly challenged Keynesian-welfarist orthodoxy. Marriage between two apparently contrasting ideological traditions – first of these is classic liberal economics – Adam Smith – revived as a critique of ‘big’ government and economic and social intervention: called liberal new right/neoliberalism. Second element is traditional and pre-Disraelian social theory – defence of order, authority and disciple: called conservative new right/neo-conservatism.
• New Right attempts to fused economic libertarianism with state and social authoritarianism.
• Radicalism is evident in its robust efforts to ‘roll back’ interventionist government – liberal new right – dismissal of tradition. Nevertheless, it is reactionary in that both the liberal and conservative new right hark back to a ‘golden age’ of supposed economic propriety and moral fortitude. Also makes an appeal to tradition – neoconservative ‘traditional values’.

Labour Secret Agent Spy:  Mini Mission

NEO-LIBERALISM

• Neo liberalism = New form of classic liberalism (whereas New Right and neo-conservatism belong in the conservative ideology)
• Neo-liberalism and the New Right overlap and have some beliefs in common (this is why it appears here with other types of conservatism!)
• Economics
  • Both NL and NR support laissez faire capitalism (very little difference in economic policies (e.g. right wing Tories and Orange book LD co-operated over austerity measures in 2010 coalition).
  • Faith is placed on individual and market – individuals should be self-reliant and make rational choices in their own interests. The market is a mechanism through which the sum of individual choices will lead to progress.
  • Opposed to mixed economy and public ownership. Transferral of industries from public to private. Nationalisation is inherently inefficient as they are not disciplined by profit motive.
• Individual vs state
  • Both NL and NR oppose over governing and state intervention e.g. oppose the nanny state
  • Commitment to individual liberty: defending freedom against ‘creeping collectivism’. Negative freedom – removal of external restraints on individual: ‘rolling back’ the state and social welfare.
  • Welfare state creates ‘culture of dependency’ – saps initiative and enterprise and robs people of dignity. Cause of disadvantage, not cure.
• NL and NR still have differences over traditional areas of disagreement between liberals and conservatives (e.g. law and order, multiculturalism, constitutional reform, morality)

Labour Secret Agent Spy:  Mini Mission

NEO-CONSERVATISM

• Different to paternalistic conservatism – focus on strengthening community and restoring authority/social discipline
• principally concerned with the fear of social fragmentation, tough on law and order and public morality
• more authoritarian than NL – believe there is a clear difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ based on religious and social moral codes
• NC and NL division more apparent in US politics – where religion is considered more important; NC aim to create cultural homogeneity (support organic society)
• NC and NL differences also appear in US foreign policy approaches between ‘doves and hawks’; NC military used to promote democracy around the world, whereas NL believe in ‘America first’ doctrine – differences much less apparent in UK politics and foreign policy
• US approach influenced by Samuel Huntington’s theory about ‘clash of civilisation’ – US hegemony should be preserved through a ‘new’ imperialism: build up of military strength, spread of US-style democracy throughout the world (Wilsonian internationalism), assertive, interventionist foreign policy that promotes liberal-democracy.
• UK politics – desire to assert moral politics evident in Thatcher’s ‘Victorian values’ – belief that freedom to choose one’s own morals undermines social cohesion and can result in choice of immoral views; multiculturalism weakens bonds of nationhood and favours stronger controls on immigration.