The Working Group on "The Failure of the New Right" is evaluating the ideological tenets that have characterised the last 17 years of Conservative government. The "New Right" political movement was based upon core beliefs that have in recent years been called into question by a number of theoretical and empirical developments. The group intends critically to explore these views - on, for example, the commitment to unrestrained markets, the minimal state, and heightened centralisation of administrative power - in terms of their intellectual cogency and consistency, and the characte r of policies that these principles have generated. While there is a widespread sense that the New Right philosophy is no longer tenable and profoundly disruptive of social and economic life, a definitive intellectual rebuttal has yet to be forcefully ma de. The Group considers its primary task is to provide such a case. About 7-8 academics have already involved themselves in organising the Group's Work, including John Gray (Oxford), Andrew Gamble (Sheffield) and John Kay (London Economics).
To get involved, contact:
Stewart Wood
St. Johns College
Oxford, OX1 3JP
Tel: 01865 277334
Fax: 01865 277435
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