The New Right (AQA A Level Sociology): Revision Note

The New Right

• The New Right is a right-wing political and sociological perspective that emerged in the late 20th century

• The perspective is a combination of neo-liberal and neo-conservative ideas, which promote individual responsibility, free-market capitalism, and traditional social values

Key beliefs of the New Right

• Neo-liberal economics

  • Supports free-market policies, privatisation, and competition in public services like education and healthcare

  • Believes that the economy works best with minimal government intervention

• Anti-welfarism and the underclass

  • The New Right argues that generous welfare systems create a dependency culture, where the 'underclass' relies on benefit payments instead of working

  • They believe the welfare state undermines individual responsibility and family independence

• Traditional morality

  • The New Right put a strong emphasis on law and order, patriotism, respect for authority, and traditional gender roles

  • They believe moral decline is behind many of society’s problems (e.g., crime, family breakdown)

• Minimal government intervention

  • New Right advocates argue that the state should not interfere in people’s private lives or the economy, except to maintain law and order and national defence

  • The role of the state should be limited, with the focus on promoting self-help and enterprise

Evaluation of the New Right

Strengths

• Influence on policy

  • The New Right has shaped significant policies aimed at reinforcing responsibility and family stability

  • Examples include the Child Support Agency (1993), marriage tax allowances, and campaigns encouraging parental responsibility

• Awareness of unintended consequences of welfare

  • The New Right draws attention to how generous welfare benefits can sometimes discourage work or long-term planning

  • This has sparked debates about welfare reform

Criticisms

• Blaming the victim

  • The concept of the underclass has been widely criticised for stigmatising the poor

  • According to Crompton (2008), it unfairly blames individuals for their poverty, rather than addressing the wider structural causes

• Weak evidence base

  • The idea that the welfare state encourages long-term dependency is not strongly backed by evidence

  • Studies have shown that most people on benefits are either in work, temporarily unemployed, or unable to work due to illness or caring responsibilities

• Ignores the structural causes of poverty

  • The New Right ignores broader social, economic, and political factors that contribute to poverty

  • Critics argue that unemployment, low wages, rising housing costs, and economic inequality play a much bigger role than personal choices

• Outdated moral values

  • The New Right’s emphasis on traditional morality, such as the ideal of the nuclear family, is seen as outdated and unrealistic

  • It fails to reflect the diversity of family life, which includes single-parent families, same-sex families, and cohabiting couples

• Doubts about market efficiency

  • Evidence shows that privatising public services is not always more effective than state-run services

  • Critics argue that profit-driven models can reduce quality, increase inequality, and limit access for the most vulnerable