The Foundations of the British Conservative Party Essays on Conservatism from Lord Salisbury to David Cameron

by Hart, Bradley W.; Carr, Richard

• ISBN13: 9781441106148
• ISBN10: 1441106146
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-09-26
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, is now at the helm of the first coalition government in the UK since WWII. His 2010 victory came after great efforts to change his party's image, moving it away from Margaret Thatcher's pro-privatization rhetoric and asserting that it was "the party of the NHS" and the advocate of the "Big Society." This collection of essays, written by leading scholars in British political history, offers insights into the Conservative Party's staying power in spite of great social and political changes in the UK and the world. It looks at how the Party has functioned historically and what its future might be, discussing its ideology and identity. Organized around key themes such as the conservative ideal, conservatism and the imperial outlook, party politics, and the impact of Thatcherism, the essays examine how conservatism has remained relevant and what it means to be conservative today.An accessible, concise overview, the book will be a primer for anyone studying British politics and political history.

Author Biography

Richard Carr is a postdoctoral lecturer in history at the University of East Anglia. Bradley Hart recently completed his Doctorate at Churchill College, Cambridge, UK.Bradley Hart recently completed his Doctorate at Churchill College, Cambridge, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Conservatism in the Democratic Age (Bradley Hart) / Section 1: The Conservative Ideal / 1. The Principles of British Conservatism from Balfour to Heath, c.1910-1975 (Stuart Ball) / 2. Tory Democracy: The Conservatives and the Constitution, 1900-1914 (Robert Saunders) / Section 2: Challenges and opportunities / 3. The Conservative Party and the Irish Question, C.1885-2010 (Alan Macleod) / 4. The Conservative Party and women / Section 3: The Conservative Party and the World / 5. 'Nothing But Words': The Conservative Party and America from Castlereagh to Churchill (John Charmley) / 6. Two Faces on Europe: the Tory Janus (Geoffrey Hicks) / Section 4: Conservatism and Party Politics / 7. Is the Centre, Right? Labour, the Tories and the Politics of Electoral Success from Winston Churchill to Gordon Brown (Richard Carr) / 8. Coalition Blues. The Conservatives, the Liberals and Liberal Politics in Britain, 1900-2011 (Chris Wrigley) / Section 5: The Impact of Thatcher(ism) / 9. Thatcher and the Impact of Conflict in the Conservative Party (Kieron O'Hara) / 10. Conservative Economic Policy in the Twenty-First Century (Irwin Stelzer) / 11. Conclusion (Bradley Hart and Richard Carr)