NEW LABOUR

Ideology of New Labour and its Implementation in Welfare Program

Ideology of New Labour and its Implementation in Welfare Program

Introduction

In 1997, the Labour Government took over the high levels of unprecedented inequality and poverty of post war history. One out of four children was living in poverty in comparison of the ratio one out of eight in 1979, when the labour party left the office. Several other factors also showed the difference including the percentage of pensioners, inequality, health facilities, and social disparities. The ratio of unemployment was also raised. All these factors required the substantial policies form the policy makers and the government. To cope with these issues, the New Labour party proposed as well as implemented new policies. New Labour is defined as the phase from mid of 1990s to 2000s. The purpose of development of New Labour was to show the separation from the old labour as well as to recuperate the trust from the people entitled to vote, a public of United Kingdom. New Labour possessed the purpose to inform the public with the modernization of party. In addition to this, it is necessary to identify the ideology of New Labour and impact of its implementation in welfare program.

Discussion

Ideology of New Labour

New Labour encompasses the following significant points as the ideology of the party. Ideology focused the individuals who were capable to give something back to the nation and society, which had assisted them in their nourishment. According to the concepts given by the party, each person owes some asset for giving back to the community. Another point to emphasize is the maintenance of macroeconomic strength as the foundation of sustainable growth control expenditures of public with respect to the projected targets of growth. The most important factor of ideology is the facilitation of social justice and community citizenship in comparison to the elected socialists encouraging equality. New Labour party has recognized the necessities for delivering the public services via private sector, in order to move towards the best solutions, a pragmatic approach. It also focused that the individuals must had potential to recognize the obligation of their own necessities and must not rely on the state to eliminate the social inequality as well as to generate the opportunities for the public. However, the New Labour accepted that the state had the social obligation to prevent the creation of underclass, social exclusion along with the responsibility of providing opportunities, wealth and promotion of work. The state also possessed the right to expect as well as ask the reciprocal responsibilities from the inhabitants of state. According to the ideology of New Labour, people will be provided with the opportunities that will help the parents to fulfil the educational and caring opportunities of their children (Labour Party, 1989). In short, New Labour possessed the ideology of socialism and liberalism.

The term “Third Way” is commonly used for illustrating the ideology of New Labour. This ideology possesses the mid way between the Thatcherite individualism and Old Labour ...