paternalism

• Definition -> power and authority being exercised over others with theintention of conferring benefit or preventing harm. "In a fatherly fashion"
• An approach to running a country where the elite rule in the interests of the people
• Closely associated with Noblesse Oblige

  • With privilege comes responsibility
• Linked with Macmillan, Heath, Disraeli and Churchill
• Prominent in post-war consensus as it matched the cross-party approach to economic management
• Thatcher brought an end to the paternalist approach until it was taken up again by Cameron, 2015 -> "Big Society" speech
• Advantages -> promotes societal order
• Advantages -> privileged take responsibility for the less fortunate
• Advantages -> improves welfare
• Disadvantages -> patronising, assures the poor cannot help themselves
• Disadvantages -> reduces class mobility
• Disadvantages -> naively believes the aristocracy are altruistic and will help the less privileged
• Disadvantages -> fails to address the root causes of inequality and upholds these structures
• Disadvantages -> undemocratic, favours rule by the elite and does not promote a government by consent
• Disadvantages -> restricts the negative freedoms of the elite
• Disadvantages -> if economic growth stalls, the welfare state would require raising taxes or a significant reduce in public services
• Traditional

  • Believe we should be governed by a 'natural aristocracy'
  • Leaders should have the best upbringing and education
• One Nation

  • Paternalism can be provided by the gov which does not have to be made up of the 'Natural Aristocracy'
  • Key is social welfare -> important to avert revolution
  • Social reforms can be funded by adopting a Middle Way approach to economical decisions
  • Argue to combine gov regulation + market competition - Macmillan "private enterprise without selfishness"
• New Right

  • Neo-liberalism -> gov intervention undermines free market economics, individual liberty and innovation. Opposes paternalism
  • Neo-conservatives -> promote paternalism (like trad.)
• Boris Johnson’s “Levelling up - the richer parts of Britain have to help the poor parts level up to their standard of living
• Cameron’s 2006 “compassionate Conservatism” speech called for a “free, competitive, open market economy” and a society free from the “bureaucratic apparatus of the state”