The British Conservatives

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the Conservative philosophy and explores the extent to which the British Conservative party have been committed to tradition and continuity. The paper discusses how the Conservative party represents the forces of tradition, continuity and status quo and has been the party of choice for voters who abhor left-leaning liberals and state interference in private business. The paper relates, however, that at the same time, the Conservative party has not been averse to subtle changes in its ideology over the years as it has adopted several key liberal doctrines such as 'progressivism' and 'individualism' at various stages in its history.

Outline:
Origins of the Conservative Ideology and the British Conservatives
The Extent of Commitment to Tradition and Continuity by the British Conservatives
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Conservatism , as the term implies, refers generally to a political philosophy or a frame of mind that favors tradition, continuity and the status quo. However, Conservatism does not have a single uniform doctrine or thesis, and a Conservative party in one country may follow policies or have objectives that are vastly different from those of another country. For example, the Conservative movement in the United States has historically emphasized the principles of economic individualism and social Darwinism, which is closer to the concept of liberalism than the Burkean Conservative doctrine followed in the UK. In Britain, too, Conservatism has not remained a static doctrine but has incorporated aspects of progressivism and individualism, which were previously part of classical liberalism."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ball, S, A Brief History of the Conservative Party, Conservative Party Website, Available from <http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=party.history.page> [April 7, 2008]
• Davies, S, 1993, Margaret Thatcher and the Rebirth of Conservatism, John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, Ashland University, Available from <http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v1n2/davies.html> [April 7, 2008]
• Harries, O, 2003, "What It Means To Be Conservative, Policy," Policy, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp 28-37, Available from <http://www.cis.org.au/policy/winter03/polwin03-5.pdf> [April 7, 2008]
• Kirk, R, 2004, Ten Conservative Principles, The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, Available from <http://www.kirkcenter.org/kirk/ten-principles.html>[April 7, 2008]
• Whiteley, P, Seyd, P & Richardson, J, 1994, True Blues: The Politics of Conservative Party Membership, Clarendon Press, Oxford.

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