"At the heart of New Right thought sits the paradox of authoritarian and libertarian." To what extent would you support this?

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“At the heart of New Right thought sits the paradox of authoritarian and libertarian.” To what extent would you support this?

        

        Conservatism is the doctrine which opposes radical social change, especially when that change is enacted by government force wielded by others. As such, it means different specific things, depending upon what conservatives wish to "conserve" at a given point in time. In the 19th century, conservatives thus aligned themselves with the "Right" - i.e., with the state's authority, tradition, the established political order, and the status quo, and in opposition to individual rights. Liberalism, by its original definition, is the doctrine which seeks to promote liberty. This term, like conservatism, is ambiguous, because different people at different times have meant different things by the term "liberty." In the 19th century, liberals favored individual rights (to life, liberty, and property), political freedom (via a Bill of Rights, against the constraints of the state), and laissez-faire capitalism (with no government interference in the economy. They opposed the authoritarian state, wanting instead a minimal government, one limited strictly to defending individual rights. This may seem a totally contradiction, as it would seem barely possible to be an advocator for one and a follower of the other, so differing are both aspects. But it is possible, as the New Right movement of the 1980s and 90s proved, as both philosophies were married under the title, and were combined to form a ‘free economy and the strong state’.

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        The New Right grew out of the collapse of the  in the UK but was part of a wider international revival of 19th century classical liberal economics and conservatism. The approach is based on the ideas of people like Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek, both supporters of the use of free market solutions to social problems. In the words of Margaret Thatcher, 'you can't buck the market'. It draws on classical liberal thinkers such as J S Mill and Bentham. Society is seen as based on individual self interest: our motivation is primarily towards our family and their needs rather than any general concept of ...

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