What is meant by the term New Right? Review the major criticisms of the post 1945 welfare state made by new right thinkers.

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What is meant by the term 'New Right'? Review the major criticisms of the post 1945 welfare state made by new right thinkers.

The term New Right is used to refer to the 'pro-market, anti -state ideological perspective' which came to be associated with the Conservative government in the 1970's - 1980's'. (Alcock, 1996:126) The New Right started to emerged during the 1970's in light of the economic crisis of 1973, and as a reaction to the rapid expansion of welfare state expenditure after the war. The New Right believed that Britain was in an economic crisis and had economically under-performed compared to its counterparts since the 2nd World War because of the growth in public and social welfare expenditure (George & Wilding, 1994). The New Right believed their ideas concerning the welfare state were 'absolutely essential' if Britain's economy was to survive and be transformed from its present crisis (Alcock, 1996). Their transformation of the welfare state was long overdue since they argued that the crisis of the economy and welfare began as a consequence of war and due to the Keynes and Beveridge's ideals about society in the 1940's which was a far cry from the