'State control in the social sphere, free enterprise in the economic sphere.' Discuss with reference to the Conservative party's values and policies since the mid-1970s

Basing my essay outline on a social sphere/economic sphere theme rather than advantages/disadvantages. Please don't be put off due to the fact it says advantages and disadvantages, I just find it a good layout :)

AQA a2 politics, Jan 2011 30 marks

This question does at first glance seem horrible, but you have to make the best out of a bad situation, just analyse it is over different conservative periods!

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'State control in the social sphere, free enterprise in the economic sphere.' Discuss with reference to the Conservative party's values and policies since the mid-1970s

Advantages

  • When Margaret Thatcher became PM, her leadership was described as a synthesis between neo-liberalism in the economic sphere and neo-conservative in the social sphere
  • So subsequently for the economic sector to be free, central government control was required and the neo-conservative aspects included law and  order and nationalism
  • Similarly her policies in the social sector which allowed state control was abolishing the greater london council to centralise power and cutting the union powers in several ways; ballots before strikes, secondary action illegal and employers could dispute strikes allowed the conservative party to have control, as well as attacking the 'nanny state' and making the promotion of homosexuality in schools illegal
  • Here a mention of Cameron's decentralisation of power to the councils is good to show opposition to a central state in the economic sphere

Disadvantages

  • Do not by any means only mention Thatcher, of course this question is primarily linked to Thatcherism but the question is asking for the conservative party since the mid-1970s to now effectively.
  • As for the economic sector, Thatcher followed the beliefs of Hayek and Friedman whom saw government as the cause of economic problems rather than the cure and having a free market was the solution, following the liberal beliefs of Adam Smith, this included complete rejection of keynesianism economics
  • Thatchers policies such as privatisation, encouraging private pensions and monetarianism, which was the idea of government only being involved to control supply of money and inflation showed the commitment to free enterprise
  • Mentioning the 2010 manifesto is also good to use examples so for Cameron, discussed cuts and increasing VAT for example

Evaluation

Overall, the essay is an evaluation of the Conservatives policies and attitudes towards the economic and social sectors from Thatcher onwards which can be seen as being much of a free market during Thatcher's period economically and a central and controlled state can also be seen, beyond Thatcher though the Conservative party seem to be repositioning away from the right as much and focused more on what is pragmatic that what holds conservatism values.

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