Outline and evaluate the ideas if the 'New right' By Paul Ingham
             The winter of 1979 was a winter of political change. This change of direction involved the reassertion of the views of competition, freedom of choice, self-reliance, incentives and non-intervention of the state in order that incentives and enterprise can be released and that commerce and industry could prosper. With this view in mind the newly elected Conservative party, under of the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, Britain was about to witness a political dominance that would change British society as it is today...
             This paper will evaluate the key ideas that the Conservative party has implemented over their reign in the political forum. The main issues that will be reviewed have provided an essential historical backdrop to what is described as the 'New Right' policies which involved, reduced public spending, regressive taxation, rising unemployment, restricted powers of Trade unions and privatisation of the Government owned industries/services.
             The key ideas that inform the 'New Right' can be summed up by the term 'Economic liberalism' as such derived from Adam smith (1723-90), Hayek (1899) and Friedman (1912). There are two inter-related principles. The first being the maximum operation of the free market forces in the production and distribution of goods and services. And second, the minimum intervention of the state saves for the provision of a legal framework to facilitate free market exchange. With the two principles in operation it is believed that having a 'free' market will create competition and in turn benefit the public.
             The Conservative party during their reign reduced public spending in claiming that 'Public expenditure is at the heart of Britain's economic difficulties' (HMSO 1979: 1). Their aim was to re-distribute assets back to the private sector, reduce inflation ...