A Conservative Philosophy

Some years ago a group of Conservative members put together their thoughts on Conservative Philosophy.   In the past five years these thoughts have had over 100,000 views on the Our Fight for Democracy web site.   At a time when the Conservative Party is searching for a narrative for its policies perhaps in framing legislation it should remind itself of what ordinary party members believe in!

A Conservative Philosophy

Inherent in and at the core of the Conservative Party’s philosophy is a belief in:

An economy based on:
• Free markets and trade
• Private ownership and enterprise
• Monetary and fiscal probity
• Gainful employment
• Minimum intervention by the State
• Low taxation

A society based on:
• Patriotism and duty
• Reciprocal rights and responsibilities
• Respect for law and order
• Equal educational opportunities

This philosophy:
• Accommodates the view that each human being is an individual, answerable to and for him or herself and also a responsible citizen of the community
• Allows that there are bound to be social and economic inequalities in life and that the strong have a duty to help the weak and encourage them to help themselves
• Leads to policies that are justified by common-sense rather than doctrinaire theory

Objectives
A philosophy is more a statement of belief in the nature of things than one of intent or action which, respectively, are the foundations of strategy and policy.   The perceived aim of the Conservative Party is to build a democratic society that is both prosperous and at ease with itself.   To achieve this aim the following objectives must be pursued by the Party:
• Maintain itself as a national organisation supported by a broad section of the population from all walks of life
• Uphold the rule of law and order and the concept of equality of all before the law
• Create favourable conditions for the creation of wealth and thereby to sustain high levels of employment and living standards
• Promote free enterprise, maximise choice and minimise regulation
• Provide or enable the provision of high quality services in fields where the State must provide them
• Control public expenditure within a balanced budget and with low levels of taxation
• A foreign policy which is conducive to our National interest.
•  Ensure the integrity and security of the realm