One-nation conservatism
As a One Nation Conservatism ( one nation conservatism ) or Tory Democracy ( tory democracy ) is called a moderate conservative, strong socio-politically aligned position in the UK. Within the Conservative Party representing One Nation Conservatives to the left wing and thus are contrary to Thatcherism.
History
The concept of One Nation Conservatism goes back to a statement made by the then Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. He told us it was actually two nations in the country: one for the rich and the poor, who hardly stood in contact. He considered it his task to establish social harmony between the different classes and social groups:
"My purpose in politics is to reach towards a reconciliation of thesis interests, and the creation of one nation. [ ... ] I believe in the virtues, and indeed in the necessity - of peaceful change in the gradual advance of the Civilised society ".
The principle of One Nation Conservatism is an essentially paternalistic attitude expresses: It is for the company to take on the weak and the poor consideration. With Disraeli, this approach became the dominant flow of British conservatism. The party managed to gradually shake off the image of the party elite to be selectable for broad strata of the population and represent the liberal Whigs as a party of industry and big business.
In the wake of the Great Depression a wealth of interventionist measures by corporative or Keynesian pattern was enforced. The Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Harold Macmillan and Edward Heath are attributable to that direction. Macmillan won the general election in 1959, not least the fact that he - presented as economically and socially oriented reform conservative - against a background of very positive economic situation. With the economic turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s ( stagflation, the energy crisis ) came the economic and social policies of One Nation Tories into disrepute and put since the coming to power of Margaret Thatcher in 1975 within the party only a minority dar. Little amazingly included prominent One nation Conservatives like Ian Gilmour liberal economic to the most vocal critics of Thatcher's policies. The social philosopher John N. Gray believes the electoral success of Tony Blair was not least to be explained by the support of Blair's disappointed by One Nation Tories.
The Tory Reform Group (TRG ), founded in 1975 touted the One Nation policy in the British public. Its current president is the Minister of Justice, Kenneth Clarke, who ran for the party presidency also three times ( 1997, 2001 and 2005), but every time - not least the fierce resistance of the Thatcherite wing - failed. Among the prominent members of the TRG include Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Michael Heseltine.
Positions
One Nation Conservatism equally reflects conservative values and socially progressive. Is important to stress the basic values of freedom, responsibility and community, and the belief that market economic efficiency and social justice are compatible. The TRG refers to himself as a traditional representative of a moderate and pragmatic conservatism.
Although the TRG has formulated no officially binding position on foreign policy, are One Nation Tories generally regarded as pro-European, what makes it different again from the Eurosceptic Thatcherite.