What has happened, that still has an influence on recent policy of even more left-winged parties as Labour in Britain as the following statement shows? “The Labour (Party) has moved to the right since 1983 is undeniable (…). Is it best explained as an updating of socialism in the face of modernity? Or else as Tory clothes-stealing, a necessary or unnecessary concession to political enemies in the interest of securing an electoral victory?”2 Therefore the goal of this thesis will be to fathom the position of this new economic agenda, called ‘New-Right’, which has at a stretch been adopted by the most former left from the centre positioned parties in the Western World. Of which kind is this strong ideology that caused the crisis of the “New Left” by cutting back the state and the welfare state. This thesis shall furthermore give an idea to what extend did Thatcherism influence the observable substantial change and to what extend were the targets of this ideology achieved successfully or not. But to do so, it is first necessary to give an short overview on the development of state intervention in the shape of the welfare state with a main focus on Britain. Accordingly main economic thoughts and their ideology on social welfare will be illuminated briefly. After elementary information is provided Thatcherism, meaning its ideas, ideology, main aims and critics of interventionalism will be introduced. By doing so it will be possible to evaluate how successful Mrs. Thatcher and the Tories were in rolling back the state. To conclude the recent situation of the “New Left” as political agenda will be touched on.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Welfare state
- General definition
- Historical overview on the development of the welfare state
- Social Policy in Britain
- Economic Thought
- The role of ideology
- Economic Thought and the welfare state
- The New Right and Thatcherism
- Arguments of the New Right against state intervention
- Thatcherism, its policy and the results
- Economic performance and the welfare state
- Crisis of the New Left
- References
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis examines the "New Right" economic agenda and its impact on the welfare state, focusing on the influence of Thatcherism in Britain. It aims to understand the ideology behind this new agenda, analyze the extent to which it successfully achieved its goals, and assess the consequences for the "New Left" political movement.
- The development of the welfare state, particularly in Britain
- The role of ideology in shaping economic thought and social welfare
- The emergence of the "New Right" and its critique of state intervention
- The impact of Thatcherism on the welfare state and economic performance
- The crisis of the "New Left" in the face of the "New Right" agenda
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The introduction sets the context by highlighting the significance of the miners' strike of 1984 as a turning point towards a new economic-political landscape characterized by Thatcherism and the "New Right" agenda. It emphasizes the influence of this agenda on even left-leaning parties and outlines the thesis's objectives.
- Chapter 2 defines the welfare state, providing a general definition and exploring its historical development. It highlights the pioneering social insurance schemes introduced by Otto von Bismarck in Germany, emphasizing the influence of Marx's critique of capitalism. The chapter also delves into the expansion of the state in the 20th century, fueled by wartime planning, economic crises, and the rise of Keynesian economics. It concludes with an overview of the "golden era" of the 1960s and 1970s, marked by economic growth and social progress.
- Chapter 3 examines the role of ideology in economic thought and the welfare state. It contrasts the views of monetarism and Keynesianism, exploring the arguments for and against government intervention in the economy. This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the subsequent chapters, which examine the specific policies and outcomes of Thatcherism.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The core concepts and keywords of this text include Thatcherism, the welfare state, "New Right" ideology, state intervention, economic performance, social welfare, monetarism, Keynesianism, and the "New Left."
- Quote paper
- Timur Karabiber (Author), 2004, Thatcherism and the welfare state, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/31354
