Discuss how and why the New Right Conservative ideologies developed in the period from late 1970s through to the 1990s

The two governments that are most clearly identified by New Right ideas are Thatcher and Reagan (USA). The ideas of New Right were the products of various historical factors. For example, perhaps the most importantly the long boom of the post war period ended in recession in the early 1970s,with rising unemployment coinciding with high inflation which was a phenomenon that economists call stagflation New Right ideas were also imposed by social factors especially the spread of a liberal social philosophy, conservatives had feared that this had led to the twin evils of permissiveness

It can be said that the New Right is made up of Neo Liberalism and Neo Conservatism. The neo liberalism element is drawn from classical liberalism and wants minimal state intervention. The New Right is antisatist and regards it as a realm of coercion and collectivism restricts individual initiative and shapes self respect. They also believe that individuals should be encouraged to be self reliant and to make rational choices in their own interests. The New Right was dominated by free market. They have also resurrected the classical economics of smith and Ricardo and presented it in the work of modern economists such as Fredrick Hayek. The reason that this may have been adopted was because between the 70s and onwards inflation was high. This was said to be because of the Keynesian economics that was pursued and had unknowingly fuelled inflation and generated stagflation of the 70s.

Under Thatcher in the UK the levels of direct taxation was progressively near US levels, the highest rate of year’s tax being reduced from 83p in the pound to 40p in the pound by 1988.New Right was also critical of the mixed economy that consisted of mixed state owned public sector and individual owned private sector, the New Right wished to reverse this trend. The solution was privatisation for example telecommunications was given to private ownership. This was because they believed that nationalised individuals were inefficient and not disciplined by the profit motive.

The neo-conservatism element in the New Right advocated expansion of liberty in economic affairs and simultaneously called for restriction of authority in social life. Neo conservatism is in someway a Reaction against the ‘permissive 1960s.The diverse range of political movements including student radicalism, civil rights demonstrations was regarded as evidence of the collapse of traditional moral principles. This highlights the valuing of tradition of conservatives, which tried to take back the British to their core values. That’s why in the face o permissiveness’. Thatcher proclaimed her support for ‘Victorian values’. Neo Conservatives see two dangers in permissiveness; the freedom to choose ones own moral lifestyle could lead to the choice of immoral views. The second is not so much that people may adopt the wrong morals of lifestyles but may simply choose different moral principles. For a liberal moral pluralism is healthy, it provides diversity and rational debate but for a neo conservative it is threatening the cohesion of society.

In conclusion the new right ideologies developed because of the so called permissive society which lacked ethical norms. It was seen as a ‘pathless desert’ that provides neither guidance nor support for individuals and their families. If individuals merely did as they pleased, civilised standards of behaviour will be impossible to maintain. For instance the trade union activity was regarded as dangerous because it could have led to unjustified acts. The New Right argues that there has been evident high delinquency and crime since 1960s and a decline in authority. So New Right stands for restoration of authority and a way of strengthening family values. The family however is understood strictly in traditional terms. They say that it is naturally hierarchal that kids listen to obey their parents that they say was in decline at this time. Furthermore New Right ideology was a reaction to the economic position of the country at the time and the only way to keep financial stability was through privatisation and through other economic tools such as supply side economics.

(Research from: Andrew Heywood Political –Ideologies)