17/2/25
British Politics: Lecture 7 - Party Politics - Dr Oliver Booth
Part 1:
What are political parties?
● Represent opinion and interests
● Educate and inform the public.
● Build coalitions of voters.
● Promote political participation.
● Seek power through office.
● Put ideas and policy into action.
Ideology
● Ideology shapes party behaviour.
● A worldview, moral compass that guides action.
● Political compass - Left-Right = economic spectrum & Liberal-Authoritarian =
social value spectrum.
Ideologies in British politics
● 3 broad ideological traditions with key influence in British politics:
● Conservatism
● Socialism
● Liberalism
Conservatism
● Burke - father of conservative thought - in opposition to French Revolution (1789-
1799).
● Gradualism & prescription: tried & tested/experience over radical
change/revolution.
● Moral / Social Order (religion) and prudence.
● Elitism: aristocracy best to lead society.
● Paternalism: Disraeli’s One Nation conservatism, some obligation over
individualism.
● Scruton is a modern conservative thinker.
● Some continuation from Burke (authority and the rule of the law).
● Real freedom and obedience are two sides of the same coin.
● Social contract - the dead, the living, and those yet to be born.
● Territorial loyalty and the nation state are key.
● Conservatism remains a contested concept within academia.
● Freeden proposes 3 core concepts: 1. Organic Change. 2. Extra-human origins of
the social order. 3. Mirroring of opposing ideologies.
Socialism and social democracy
, ● Socialist ideas developed in context of the Industrial Revolution e.g. Robert Owen &
Karl Marx.
● Capitalism is an inherently exploitative economic class system.
● Class interests: Proletariat vs. Bourgeoise.
● Shift towards revisionism / social democracy in later 19th Century.
● Fabian Society - technocratic solutions achievable by state/policy.
● Crosland - capitalism tamed, education key to opportunity.
Liberalism
● Liberal tradition v strong in UK.
● Key thinkers: Locke, JSM.
● Core belief: the idea of the free rational individual.
● Locke: Government only legit if consent of individuals.
● Government action should be limited (legal framework) to encourage individual
flourishing.
● Later, split liberalism between hyper liaised-faire e.g. Hayek and more socially
oriented liberals e.g. Keynes.
Ideological Development
● Parties do not stay the same - they reacts to events ideology shifts and different
actors take charge.
● Parties plot between different factions who vie for power and influence the ideological
direction.
● Oil crisis (1973), rise of stagflation and general malaise undermine post-War
Keynesian consensus.
● Paves way for rise of the neoliberal paradigm (1993)
The Conservative Party and conservatism
● 1834 name change upon Burkean opposition to Whig ideas - refranchise extension
and church.
● Post WWI - most Conservatives were more liberal in orientations e.g. dropping strict
views of social hierarchy.
● Post-1945 - consensus based upon acceptance of welfare state.
● Welfare, paternalism and capitalist stability enables social stability.
Thatcher: neo-liberalism and the Tory party
● Thatcher and allies, e.g. Lawson, promotes a new brand of Conservatism.
● Response to economic malaise of 70s.
● Drew heavily on neo-liberal economic thinking e.g. Hayek, Inst. Econ. Affairs.
● Liberal conception of states, markets and individuals - creates tension with some
traditional Conservative social values.
● Market liberalisation, and breaking Labour power (unions).
● Thatcherism: ‘free economy and strong state’. Gamble.
British Politics: Lecture 7 - Party Politics - Dr Oliver Booth
Part 1:
What are political parties?
● Represent opinion and interests
● Educate and inform the public.
● Build coalitions of voters.
● Promote political participation.
● Seek power through office.
● Put ideas and policy into action.
Ideology
● Ideology shapes party behaviour.
● A worldview, moral compass that guides action.
● Political compass - Left-Right = economic spectrum & Liberal-Authoritarian =
social value spectrum.
Ideologies in British politics
● 3 broad ideological traditions with key influence in British politics:
● Conservatism
● Socialism
● Liberalism
Conservatism
● Burke - father of conservative thought - in opposition to French Revolution (1789-
1799).
● Gradualism & prescription: tried & tested/experience over radical
change/revolution.
● Moral / Social Order (religion) and prudence.
● Elitism: aristocracy best to lead society.
● Paternalism: Disraeli’s One Nation conservatism, some obligation over
individualism.
● Scruton is a modern conservative thinker.
● Some continuation from Burke (authority and the rule of the law).
● Real freedom and obedience are two sides of the same coin.
● Social contract - the dead, the living, and those yet to be born.
● Territorial loyalty and the nation state are key.
● Conservatism remains a contested concept within academia.
● Freeden proposes 3 core concepts: 1. Organic Change. 2. Extra-human origins of
the social order. 3. Mirroring of opposing ideologies.
Socialism and social democracy
, ● Socialist ideas developed in context of the Industrial Revolution e.g. Robert Owen &
Karl Marx.
● Capitalism is an inherently exploitative economic class system.
● Class interests: Proletariat vs. Bourgeoise.
● Shift towards revisionism / social democracy in later 19th Century.
● Fabian Society - technocratic solutions achievable by state/policy.
● Crosland - capitalism tamed, education key to opportunity.
Liberalism
● Liberal tradition v strong in UK.
● Key thinkers: Locke, JSM.
● Core belief: the idea of the free rational individual.
● Locke: Government only legit if consent of individuals.
● Government action should be limited (legal framework) to encourage individual
flourishing.
● Later, split liberalism between hyper liaised-faire e.g. Hayek and more socially
oriented liberals e.g. Keynes.
Ideological Development
● Parties do not stay the same - they reacts to events ideology shifts and different
actors take charge.
● Parties plot between different factions who vie for power and influence the ideological
direction.
● Oil crisis (1973), rise of stagflation and general malaise undermine post-War
Keynesian consensus.
● Paves way for rise of the neoliberal paradigm (1993)
The Conservative Party and conservatism
● 1834 name change upon Burkean opposition to Whig ideas - refranchise extension
and church.
● Post WWI - most Conservatives were more liberal in orientations e.g. dropping strict
views of social hierarchy.
● Post-1945 - consensus based upon acceptance of welfare state.
● Welfare, paternalism and capitalist stability enables social stability.
Thatcher: neo-liberalism and the Tory party
● Thatcher and allies, e.g. Lawson, promotes a new brand of Conservatism.
● Response to economic malaise of 70s.
● Drew heavily on neo-liberal economic thinking e.g. Hayek, Inst. Econ. Affairs.
● Liberal conception of states, markets and individuals - creates tension with some
traditional Conservative social values.
● Market liberalisation, and breaking Labour power (unions).
● Thatcherism: ‘free economy and strong state’. Gamble.
