Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun, on Sunday, I was asked to describe the relationship between the political parties and business. No really.
Seeing as I'm always pleased with concise summary, I'll share what I said.
The Tories in the C19th were the party of the landed aristocracy. It was the Whigs who represented the emerging new money of business spawned by the industrial revolution. The whigs were for free trade against the vested interests of an old order which inhibited business.
By the turn of the C20th the Conservatives had bolted on nationalism while keeping their Burkean opposition of change. The Liberals had emerged from the Whigs to now champion the beginnings of a welfare state. Labour had appeared and was the party of the working man.
By the late C20th the Conservatives had embraced a free market ideal more akin to the old Whigs. When Labour dropped it's fourth clause (which stated business should be nationally owned) all three main parties ended in pretty much the same place with regard to the market. Give or take a penny on capital gains tax here or there.
While Liberals had various other core principles it could be a lack of clear representation of either business or worker hindered it's electoral chances through the C20th.
My listener seemed quite happy with that.
Why were the Whigs called Whigs? Did they wear wigs?
ReplyDeleteWhiggamore was (like Tory) originally a term of abuse.
DeleteIt is a Scottish word for cattle drover and was given to some Presbyterians who has a beef with King Charles after the civil war.
The March of the Whiggamores would also make an excellent record title.