The political spectrum in the uk

What is right wing?

• stress the importance of order, stability, hierarchy and private property

• Often conservatives

What is left wing?

• desiring change, reform and alteration to the way that society operates, including socialists who are critical of the capitalist or free market economy

• Usually Labour

What are left wing political ideas?

• have a positive view of the state and a collectivist view on society

• Believe that the gov should reduce inequality and encourage social cohesion by providing an extensive welfare state

• The wealthier in society should pay a higher share of the cost of this through redistributive taxation, the gov should also pay a major role in economy through the nationalisation of key industries

• Generally have close relations with trade unions as trade unions support the economic interests of the working class

• Socially- embrace multiculturalism, also socially libertarian so supports giving alternative lifestyles equal status with more traditional ones

• Higher taxation on the rich

• Mixed economy- state regulates market, mix of nationalisation and privatisation ‘keynesianism’

What are right wing political ideas?

• focuses more in the importance of giving the individual as much control over their own life as possible

• Right wing politicians often reject left wing attempts to encourage greater equality and believe that the free market operates best when there is as little government interference as possible- laissez faire economics

• Aim to keep taxation as low as possible, and trade Union influences need to be limited to encourage smooth operation on the market

• Nationalised firms are best privatised as companies work more efficiently when there is competition

• Economically libertarian, socially conservative so there is an emphasis on the importance of shared national identity and encourages traditional lifestyles

• Focuses i]on wealth creation

What do different party factions emphasise?

• emphasise different elements of the parties ideology

• E.g. one nation conservatives- likely to be less economically libertarian and more socially libertarian than the new right moving them close to new Labour

What is consensus politics?

• means that there are many philosophical and policy similarities between the main political parties. The opposition may there fore be able to support some gov policies

• In the 1950s the shared commitment of the Labour chancellor of the Exchequer hugh graitskell and the conservative chancellor of the exchequer r.a.butler to full employment to a mixed economy led to the invention of ‘butskellism’

• Tony Blair’s embracing of traditionally conservative principles such as the free market and low taxation made his time as Labour leader a period of Butskellite consensus

What is adversary politics?

• when politics is adversary this means that the main parties are divided by fundamental philosophical and policy differences

• The opposition will routinely oppose the policies of the gov since they are so ideologically and practically opposed to them

• The early 1980s is a good example since the socialism of Labour leader Michael foot was so fundamentally at odds with the free market reforms of thatcher

• The leadership of Corbyn made politics adversary as a committed socialist he is radically opposed to the policies of the conservative party