What to make of Cameron's rejection of laissez faire?
David Blackburn 6:52pm
Pressure brings out the best in David Cameron and right now he’s coasting. He
gave, as Pete and Fraser have said, a subdued speech. The content was there but his delivery was calm, except on two
occasions when he spoke rather than read the autocue. He attempted to sell the Big Society (third time and no luckier). Then he said, with conviction, ‘I don’t believe in laissez
faire.’
Those six words are pure Tory Reform Group, pure Iain Macleod, pure One Nation. He evoked that traditional form of Torysim with a firm description of how his government seeks to empower people as responsible groups not just free individuals. A theme encapsulated by the soundbite: ‘Mine is not just a vision of a more powerful country, it is of a more powerful people’, which is the essence of the Big Society.
This linked to his vow to weaken vested interests in business. Cameron told of his admiration for those who reject the comfort of a salary and ‘strike out on their own’, and he wants to do the best by them. He explained how regulations would be swept away and which start-up funds and tax breaks would be introduced. He then signalled an end to the total dominion of the Masters’ of the Universe: ‘The taxpayer bailed you out and now it is time to lend to small businesses’. This was not banker-bashing or a crude assault on capitalism; it was far more positive – a promise to extend opportunity with the support of the government.
Paternalism isn’t necessarily a by-word for molly-coddling or interference; it can be 'light-touch', providing the means to greater wealth and opportunity when pursued effectively. I wonder
what the party's right-wing make of it.
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Bloody Bill Brock
October 6th, 2010 7:07pm Report this commentIt seems to me what Cameron is saying reminds one of Jack Kennedy. "Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". Labour has completely fcuked up this kind of thinking and for some years past its just an attitude of "what do I get out of it". Perhaps such simplicity would be better than BS.
Doppelganger
October 6th, 2010 7:09pm Report this comment"I wonder the party's right of it.": sic. Que?
Tanuki
October 6th, 2010 7:11pm Report this comment"He explained how regulations would be swept away..." while at the same time he's conspiring with Cable to introduce a tax on banks/regulate salaries, accept Labour's 50% higher-rate income-tax hike, increase corporation-tax and continue with stupid eco-taxes (largely at the instigation of the EU).
Hardly the recipe for economic growth or encouraging aspiration, is it?
Us laissez-faire types don't want a big society - we want a small government, small taxes and minimal regulation.
normanc
October 6th, 2010 7:20pm Report this commentDo as I say, not as you please.
David Blackburn
October 6th, 2010 7:20pm Report this commentThanks Doppelganger - corrected now.
DavidDP
October 6th, 2010 7:29pm Report this commentHurrah for the party of Disraeli!
libertarian
October 6th, 2010 7:37pm Report this commentWell he might be a One nation Tory who is not in favour of laissez faire. But seeing as it is us in the free market that actually provides the jobs, wealth, aspiration and innovation the country needs and we DO believe in laissez faire I would say he just finally shot the goose that lays the golden eggs. But then I wouldn't expect anything better fron Cast Iron Dave and his pinko Tories
In2minds
October 6th, 2010 8:04pm Report this comment"I don’t believe in laissez faire." How could he? He's keen on the EU, that's why!
TGF UKIP
October 6th, 2010 8:35pm Report this commentHaven't you got to feel really sorry for the poor old Stupid Party. There they were going round and round chanting "ABC" only to inflict on themselves a leader ten times worse than Clarke would ever have been.
At least with old Ken not only would there have been none of the London PC shit and "climate change" nonsense but there would have been every chance that life would have been breathed into the dying pub industry by the repeal or amendment of the iniquitous anti-smoking legislation.
Doppelganger
October 6th, 2010 8:50pm Report this comment"What to make of Cameron's rejection of laissez faire?"Answer: the usual rubbish.
David Bouvier
October 7th, 2010 9:56am Report this commentlibertarian - you suffer from the common delusion that everyone else silently agrees with you.
The joy of the free market is that it helps support other people and their needs, even if you don't believe in libertarianism, laissez-faire, golden eggs, or whatever.
Don't fool yourself: Most businesses welcome regulatory capture, barriers to entry, subsidy etc. And a the rule of law, an effective and honest bureaucracy, and powerful anti-trust agencies appear to benecessary preconditions of a stable and effective free market in the real world.
Anyway, just as Machiavelli is said to have advised his keenest pupils to condemn him publically, a ritual denial of straw-man laissez-faire can be used to create an artificial contrast sensible pro-market policy.
TK
October 7th, 2010 10:49am Report this commentMargaret Thatcher didn't believe in laissez-faire either. She thought it a dirty French phrase and emphasised that government should be strong in everything it does. The Tory party is not a classically liberal party and never has been.
libertarian
October 7th, 2010 12:13pm Report this comment@David Bouvier
No I don't believe I do David actually. I'm not deluded I'm actually quite experienced in the world of business. I have spent a lot of time talking with, representing and analysing surveys from business people and business support organisations. The type of business you described is mostly multinational, giant cartel inducing organisations. When in fact the vast majority of businesses don't fall into that category, are quite happy with competition, find the vast swathes of regulation unnecessary and unhelpful and are perfectly willing to extend the invisible hand.
Your knowledge of this comes from where?
Commentator
October 7th, 2010 12:51pm Report this commentBusiness has already worked Cameron out: a left-leaning patrician grown very fat on nepotism and inherited wealth. He hasn't got a meritocratic bone in his body so why would he even understand laissez faire economics? David DP clearly knows very little about Disraeli.
Paul Danon
October 7th, 2010 6:57pm Report this commentDare anyone point out that the cuts being discussed are mere deckchair-arrangement. The debt and the deficit are so big that the proposed measures are paltry.
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