OUTLINING THE CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF THE NEW RIGHT’S IDEOLOGY AND THEIR ROLE IN THATCHERITE APPROACH TO WELFARE

Posted: January 4th, 2023

OUTLINING THE CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF THE NEW RIGHT’S IDEOLOGY AND THEIR ROLE IN THATCHERITE APPROACH TO WELFARE

Student’s Name

Course

Professor’s Name

University

City

Date

Outlining the Central Elements of the New Right’s Ideology and Their Role in Thatcherite Approach to Welfare

Introduction

            Over the past decade, more than five million citizens live on out-of-work benefits across the United Kingdom. Out of this population, more than two million individuals have been on out-of-work benefits for at least nine years. Additionally, the UK currently has among the highest rates of unemployed households across the continent. Barry (2019) points out that nearly two million children live in homes where none of the adults is employed. Many researchers, analysts, and politicians blame the past state of welfare in the country for creating a culture of dependency. The concept of New Right will be discussed along with its core elements based on the existing values, theories, and beliefs particularly in relation to the state of welfare. A critical assessment of the impact of these values on the development of the current conservative approach associated with welfare will also be outlined. A clear comprehension of these factors will be centred on understanding the conservative aspect from Margaret Thatcher’s ‘New Right’ perspectives. This point of view will also she light into how these ideologies influenced decision-making.

The New Right

            The New Right is an ideology that involves the integration of neo-conservative and neo-liberal ideologies that focus on social authoritarianism and economic libertarianism (Ansell 2016). This concept aspired to resuscitate the individualistic values relating to a free-market economy that were dominant in the late nineteenth century. At the same time, this viewpoint targeted to dismantle the welfare settlement that had been established after the Second World War. Subsequently, the neo-liberal economic outlook succeeded in being instrumental in shaping the ideologies of the British Conservative Party particularly during its reign in the 1980s. During this time, the previous paternalistic social policy that was dominant during the post-war period was rejected.

            In addition, Smith (2018) notes that the core concepts, values, and ideologies of the New Right came to light in the early 1980s with the reign of the conservative party. Essentially, these values embraced a pessimistic perspective of the wellbeing of the society and the nature of society. They also emphasized the desirability and inevitability of inequality from the economic and political platforms. This ideology also promoted the belief that there was a natural inequality in the society that resulted in inequal opportunities within the society. Politicians enforcing this ideology focused on social conservativism and neo-liberalism. Some of the key policies promoted during this era included privatizing the federal industries and disintegrating the welfare state. Across the global market, the government introduced policies aimed at business deregulation and reorganizing the labour force. The overall aim was to ensure industrial flexibility whereby private companies had more control over market decisions than the government.

            Furthermore, new Right ideologists such as Charles Murray made the argument that the welfare state was detrimental to the society as it created a culture of dependency (Barry 2019). Consequently, it eliminated independence among citizens, eradicated individual responsibility, and self-help. Neo-liberals and libertarian conservatives also held the notion that the welfare state was a primary contributing factor to breakdowns in families. Their reasoning behind this was that women would no longer depend on their male partners for income or support, thereby creating more single-parent households and fatherless children. The New Right primarily upheld the beliefs and values promoted by the conservatives (Lain 2016). However, while conservatives emphasized obligation and social duty, the New Right focused on independence and self-help.

            Additionally, the individuals supporting the neo-liberal concepts of the New Right argued for the need for more emphasis on individualism particularly in terms of economic affairs. Their reasoning was that individualism was vital in improving economic efficiency, thereby improving the living standards across the kingdom. They also encouraged the privatization of the nationalized industries as a measure towards securing more dependence on the global market mechanism. Another important element was the reduction of income taxation to increase incentives. Additionally, the number of people benefiting from unemployment benefit was required to be reduced as a way of increasing self-dependence across the society. Similarly, this measure would restrict the progressive expansion of the welfare-dependent citizens. Neo-libertarians felt that the trade union and the existing Keynesian policies had too much power in the current market, and they encouraged a subsidization of this power in exchange for increased employment opportunities.

            Individual responsibility is a central element of the New Right’s ideology particularly in relation to human behaviour. As such, the members of this movement needed clearly-outlined incentives to promote positive behaviour and repercussions for failure to comply (Alcock et al. 2016). Conservatists held that failure presented significant threats and risks to society that affected overall functioning. They encouraged individual responsibility, which from their perspective, involved individual wealth acquisition and taking responsibility for one’s family.  The underlying belief is that human beings are innately individualistic in their motivations and aspirations. Consequently, they react positively to the possibility and anticipation of individual remuneration for their efforts. This perspective of human nature as self-seeking and cogent contradicts the traditional conservatism’s view that primarily centres upon wariness of human reason.

            Furthermore, the New Right Movement belief that failure, risk, and uncertainty are part of human nature, and they are instrumental in encouraging people to behave in the expected manner. Baalla and Mansouri (2019) indicated that a person’s pursuit of their own interests is only sensible if they act rationally. Typically, individuals do not often behave reasonably in all circumstances, an it can be difficult to predict or anticipate the outcomes of such behaviour. There are other fundamental values as highlighted by Barry (2019). For example, the most desirable value under this ideology is freedom, which is defined as the ability of the individual to act without any external coercion. Margaret Thatcher also noted that the society is not a universal concept, but instead, it is represented by families and individuals. This statement typically links to the concepts of individual responsibility and freedom to create one’s financial opportunities.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the New Right movement gained significant support primarily due to their pro-market and anti-state ideology (Peden 2017). Many contributors and observers at the time promoted the concept of the New Right ideology particularly in terms of the information available to the public. However, it could be argued that the New Right essentially attempted to incorporate the perspectives and ideas promoted by the “laissez-faire” liberalism that was prevalent in the nineteenth century. Contrary to this, other researchers argue that these policies have been detrimental to the community as they have contributed to several negative aspects. For one, there was a decline in the mining communities and the working class living in the inner cities. As a result, the quality of family life started to decline, in addition to the archetypical social disorder that neo-Conservatives often promoted.

New Right and Thatcherite Approach to Welfare State

In addition, it is important to note that the main concept in neo-liberal thinking regarding welfare was in opposition to the efforts of the state to provide basic services to the population. The New Right group was basically against the establishment of a welfare state, which they considered to be the result of the increasing number of people under welfare.  Under this ideology, the welfare state does not present any benefits to the society particularly since it presents undesirable consequences to the community. Jackson (2016) indicates that a welfare state is impractical and unworkable in the ideological, political, and economic contexts. The New Right held the notion that addressing social inequality would be most effective from an individualistic perspective with minimal interference from the state. Thatcher referred to this as “rolling back the state” (Jackson 2016).

Another element associated with the New Right’s ideology is the welfare mix. A common example in the UK is the difference between ‘provider’ and ‘purchaser’ in the National Health Society. During the New Right era, healthcare spending was cut, and the costs of dental care increased. There also increases in prescription charges along with the establishment of competitiveness in tendering. The government incorporated a system whereby providers could compete for tenders to offer supportive services in healthcare. Quasi markets were considered suitable as they provided a replacement for the monopolistic government providers. The state providers were replaced with privatized independent healthcare organizations which offered more benefits for patients and the society at large.

When Prime Minister Thatcher came into power, she contested that privatization was integral for economic development in the state. The New Right conservatives argued that the existing system and the labour governments inhibited the development of the capitalist economy. The prime minister’s perception of conservatism was mainly influenced by the ideologies and theories of Freidrich Hayek. She held the notion that the socialist state functioned to inhibit progress across the UK, and that it provided minimal opportunities for expansive development across the private sector.

Upon establishing her government, Thatcher focused on reducing the extent to which people received welfare services. She contended that the UK population would benefit more significantly from economic opportunities rather than receiving handouts. To this extent, Thatcher introduced the Right to Buy Scheme which was designed to sell council houses to citizens. The scheme came into operation under the Housing Act of 1980 with the intention of ensuring individual responsibility for personal property. People were also required to handle their house repairs and oversee the management of their property. The purpose of this act was to stimulate the market and to reduce the state’s impact on property in the country.

In the 1970s, there was a significant growth in the conservative thinking promoted by New Right. Thatcher’s ideology also started gaining traction as it involved a combination of neo-conservatism and neo-liberalism. Her philosophy embraced the value of the market mechanism in promoting economic development, but she also believed in the importance of a strong state in enforcing law and order. Thatcher idealized that having a strong government was crucial particularly at that time when there were various industrial disputes across the nation. For example, in 1984, there was the miners’ strike which proved to be problematic. The Prime Minister also questioned the current status of the state education as she believed that it was not efficient in advancing the capitalist economy as anticipated. She believed in an integration of a strong state and a free economy for future stability.

In addition, Thatcher rejected the existing socialist arguments that supported public ownership of property. She believed in the importance of strengthening the country’s private sector to guarantee overall success. In line with this, Thatcher advocated for the privatisation of different industries monopolized by the government. She also held the belief that people should be encouraged to purchase shares in private companies to help in boosting their economic wellbeing. Tenants were also given the ability to buy council homes at lower rates, thereby raising the living standards for all citizens. Thatcher argued that it was unnecessary to involve labour unions in discussions regarding economic policy, and that a strong state would help to guide decision-making in this context.

While Thatcher’s ideology and the New Right’s conservatism proved to focus on a capitalist system, they also presented some disputes. One prominent example pertains to the role of state institutions, in the supervision and management of progressive social development. Conversely, the New Right embraced a less traditional and more radical approach to this change. Conservatists using this ideology believed that the government should have a minimal role, and that citizens should have more opportunities to exercise their independence. The ultimate goal would be to ensure that people are less dependent on the government, and that they are expose to economic prospects across different industries.

In the current times, Conservatives still emphasize the incorporation of traditionally authoritarian strategies in enforcing law and order. The government aims to highlight the strength of the state in maintaining order through different forms of punishments and policies. An example of this was during the reign of Prime Minister David Cameron, who encouraged the use of exemplary punishment against individuals who actively participated in crimes during the 2011 riots (Lain 2016). The government also introduced new anti-terrorism regulations and made amendments to the existing ones. These measures have been criticised by civil liberties groups across the country which consider them to be draconian. The government’s level of pragmatism is evident in the reduced spending on law enforcement as a strategy towards expanding its austerity programme.

Conclusion

            To summarise, an assessment of the core elements of the New Right’s ideology provides significant insight into the beliefs and values that shaped conservatism over the years. It is evident that there is a strong correlation between conservatism and liberalism in terms of the beliefs, theories, and perceptions of the welfare state. The New Right ideology is centred upon the elements of individual responsibility and minimal state interference (Hilton, Moores & Sutcliffe-Braithwaite 2017). One of the main reoccurring themes under this ideology is the neutralization of the economic market with independence from the government. The market should also protect consumers and the general society from poor living conditions. Generally, the welfare state only benefited the elderly, unemployed, dependent children, and people in long-term care. The New Right conservatives theorize that the system is illogical as it is challenging to distinguish between the undeserving population and the deserving population. As such, they emphasize a system that promotes individual independence and accountability.

Reference List

Alcock, P, Haux, T, May, M, & Wright, S 2016, The student’s companion to social policy, John Wiley & Sons, London. Available from: <https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MF5YCwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=The+student%27s+companion+to+social+policy&ots=p1hJQhxW79&sig=Y8FJ0vD6Z84xNwmX-Gpe4kpXYB0&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20student’s%20companion%20to%20social%20policy&f=false> [4 January 2020]

Andersen, K 2019, Universal Credit, gender and unpaid childcare: Mothers’ accounts of the new welfare conditionality regime, Critical Social Policy, 0261018319856487. Available from: <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0261018319856487> [4 January 2020]

Ansell, AE 2016, New right, new racism: Race and reaction in the United States and Britain. Springer, London. Available from:  <https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ddm-DAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA145&dq=Study+of+the+key+elements+of+the+new+right+ideology+and+the+conservative+approach+to+welfare&ots=GcdVkn4ci_&sig=jWwPeqJSA7NFf9HOXoycWWZIFXE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false> [4 January 2020]

Baalla, F & Mansouri, N 2019, Margaret Thatcher‘s Ideology of the New Right and its Impact on the British (Doctoral dissertation, University of Adrar). Available from: <https://dspace.univ-adrar.dz/jspui/handle/123456789/2107> [4 January 2020]

Barry, NP 2019, The new right, Routledge, London. Available from:  <https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429278143> [4 January 2020]

Hilton, M, Moores, C & Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, F 2017, New Times revisited: Britain in the 1980s. Contemporary British History, vol.31, no.2, pp.145-165. Available from: <https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2017.1306214> [4 January 2020]

Jackson, B, 2016, Currents of neo-liberalism: British political ideologies and the new right, c. 1955–1979. The English Historical Review, vol.131, no.551, pp.823-850. Available from: <https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0e83c690-2d8d-418a-9c26-1036bae99b3f/download_file?safe_filename=Currents%2Bof%2Bneo-liberalism%2Bmanuscript%2Bfor%2BORA.pdf&file_format=application%2Fpdf&type_of_work=Journal+article> [4 January 2020]

Lain, D 2016. Reconstructing Retirement: Work and Welfare in the UK and USA. Policy Press, London. Available from: <https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1tqfDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=welfare+in+the+UK&ots=b1JFkiPFGZ&sig=k6xU_WLHNeEq3iGfTkiYgrWOb9g&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Thatcher&f=false> [4 January 2020]

Peden, G 2017, Liberal Economists and the British Welfare State: from Beveridge to the New Right. Economic Thought, vol.39, no. 4. Available from: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327368743> [4 January 2020]

Smith, SR 2018, The Centre-Left and New Right Divide?: Political Philosophy and Aspects of UK Social Policy in the Era of the Welfare State. Routledge, London.