Cameron and the Big Society

If we ask ourselves whether the Big Society is a genuine repositioning of conservative ideology we run into an immediate difficulty, which is that it is difficult to disentangle ideological development from the exigencies of the government's policy of frontloading expenditure cuts to bring public finances back into acceptabel limits. But we can have a go

So is Cameron a policy innovator ?

Well, yes in a number of ways :

First is is re-introducing marketisation along the lines of the Thatcher period and the early years of Major's government. (NHS, local government services etc.)

Second he is clearly attracted by American neo liberalism (private sector good, public sector bad)

Third he follows the American populist (Tea Party) preference for decentralisation (though, ironically, change is being driven from the centre) and community-based social action.

Fourth he recoils from economic and industrial micro management.

Fifth his declaration that multiculturalism should be replaced by integrationism is certainly an ideological initiative.

Finally, and perhaps most significantly, his late conversion to the Duncan Smith agenda on social security represents a movement towards American style carrot and stick welfare policy, with the emphasis on stick.

The clear theme here is a movement towards American neo conservatism and neo liberalism. The three elements of conservative policy that are less clear consist firstly of policy towards rights (does he want more or less of them - he can't make up his mind. Possibly one rare example of Lib Dem infleunce). Secondly he appears confused on constitutional reform. It seems a totally contradictory position to oppose electoral reform but support a second chamber eleceted by PR. Thirdly he is content to raise tacxation to help deal with the deficit. A true conservative neo liberal would not even consider such a policy.

If we strip out the contradictory elements of his ideological position, caused by the demands of deficit reduction and the need to be aware of Lib Dem sensitivities, he looks to be moving determindly in one direction - towards a U.S-style society as envisaged by Margaret Thatcher. For Big Society, read American Society.

Now, looking at the dangerous polarisation of U.S. politics, we may be in for a rocky road - back to the 1980s ?

http://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/Colleges/Government---Politics.aspx?mRef=CNM01