Politics as of late has created a phenomenon of extremism. In Australia, we’ve seen the rise of One Nation; America, it is Trump; and in Europe, Eurosceptic parties are in full swing. Once where functioning democracy stood stands a vile sense of hatred and fear. Malcolm Turnbull’s liberalism contrasted with George Christiansen’s traditional conservatism displays the clear divide within the party and suggests nothing will ever be done without one side of the party holding the other to ransom.
Australia, of all nations, needs ‘Tory Democracy’. The idea of a socially liberal society along with the rich and poor working together has been championed virtually exclusively in the United Kingdom under the stewardships of Benjamin Disraeli and Randolph Churchill. The Liberal Party seems to be stuck in a bubble of Thatcher, Reagan and ‘trickle-down economics’, with the idea that classical liberal ideas should be championed. Stuck in the 1980s both in economic and social policy, the Liberal Party highlights its own need for progressive conservatism such as seen under David Cameron. Championing gay rights to legalise same-sex marriage as a Conservative Prime Minister showed a distinct move away from the traditional voting bloc of the party. Some party members frustrated by this progressive turn the party was taking fled to minor parties such as UKIP.
For Australia, moving away from the traditional conservative voting bloc seems like a taboo topic. The militant nature of those on the party’s right shows the hostility within the government as well as within the grassroots members. The right is so constantly of the belief that ‘statism’ is evil and we should cut expenditure. Although it remains important for a country to not be severely in debt, as Tony Abbott wrote in these pages just last week ‘we live in a community, not an economy’. Supporting all citizens is critical to government’s charter. Centre-right politics in Australia has demonstrated to the public that the ideas of Disraeli have been missed.
The neoconservative ideology of Thatcher rings through in so many party members with the support of military intervention and cutting welfare for those really struggling. What happened to Tory democracy and the idea of being for private enterprise but with a progressive social standing? The factional divide of wets and dries within the Liberal Party suggests that Thatcherism is embedded within the party. After all, Thatcher coined the common usage of such terms.
The importance of LGBT rights or the importance of social mobility should be enough to move sections of the party towards a Tory Democracy; however, that does not seem to be the case. Stagnant and regressive, the party’s right sees any form of progressive social policy as ‘cultural Marxism’ rather than endeavouring to create a country that works for everybody. As a party, the Liberals need change. Soft leadership and the regressive ideology behind some within the parliament has not helped the cause grow but has diminished the value many people have for the liberal cause.
Strong leadership is needed and although internally divided, the Liberal Party must look towards current British Conservative leaders Theresa May and Ruth Davidson – leader of the Scottish party – to see how centre-right leaders can provide plans for a society that is progressive and ‘works for everybody’.
If Turnbull and the moderates continue to be held captive by the party’s right, the already small majority could just swing in Labor’s favour. We need a Tory Democracy and we need it now.
