Posted: May 14th, 2025

The New Right’s Perception of Collectivism

The New Right is a political and social movement that started to gain traction in the late 1970s. The movement was in response to the growing liberalism and sought ways to conserve the social structure as it existed. The New Right argued that individualism, laissez-faire capitalism, and smaller government were the key to economic growth.

The Welfare State had begun to grow in the early 20th century as a response to the Industrial Revolution. The Welfare State provides social services and benefits to citizens like healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits. The New Right saw the Welfare State as an infringement on individual freedom and a drag on the economy. They argued that Welfare State programs were too costly and made people over-reliant on the government instead of taking care of themselves.

The New Right’s laissez-faire approach to the economy meant they did not support government intervention in the marketplace. They believed that the free market would be the most efficient way to allocate resources and that government intervention would only interfere with this process. The New Right’s beliefs in individualism and small government led them to oppose the collectivism of the Welfare State.

The New Right’s perception of collectivism and the Welfare State as detrimental to economic growth was a key factor in their political and social movement. These beliefs shaped the policies of many right-wing governments in the late 20th century and continue to influence right-wing politics today.

New Right Criticism of collectivism

New Right saw the collectivist approach as stifling individual initiative and creativity, which would lead to lower economic growth. New Right believed that the welfare state was too costly and would ultimately lead to higher taxes affecting economic growth. New Right was concerned that collectivism and the welfare state would create a dependency culture, where people rely on the state for their livelihoods rather than striving to better themselves. New Right felt that this would lead to a decline in social mobility and an overall stagnation of society. New Right’s criticisms of collectivism and the welfare state provide a good overview of their general stance on the matter.

What is collectivism?

Collectivism is an economic and political system where the group or community is more important than the individual. The welfare state is a system where the government provides for the needs of its citizens, usually in the form of social benefits like healthcare and education. So, in essence, the New Right was against anything they saw as stifling individual initiative or creating dependency.

Some argue that the New Right’s criticisms of collectivism and the welfare state are valid. They say that, in practice, this system often leads to lower economic growth and social mobility. However, others argue that the New Right’s criticisms lack understanding of how these systems work. They point out that, in reality, collectivism and the welfare state can lead to higher economic growth and social mobility. It all depends on their implementation.

New Right Criticism of the welfare state

What is a welfare state?

The welfare state is a system in which the state provides protection and assistance to its citizens, usually through the provision of social services. Welfare states can be found in developed countries worldwide, though the specific services and benefits they provide vary from country to country.

The New Right’s criticisms of the welfare state focus on two issues: 

• the cost of providing these services
• the dependency they create

In terms of cost, the New Right argues that the welfare state is too expensive to maintain. They believe the taxes needed to fund these programs will eventually stifle economic growth and lead to high government debt. It will put a massive strain on the economy and could eventually lead to a financial collapse.

The second main issue that the New Right has with the welfare state is the dependency it creates. They argue that by providing citizens with a safety net, the welfare state encourages people to become lazy and reliant on the government instead of striving to better themselves. That leads to a decline in social mobility and an overall stagnation of society.

While the New Right’s criticisms of the welfare state are valid, it is vital to remember that these programs provide a safety net for millions of people. Without them, many would have to fend for themselves in difficult circumstances. It is also worth noting that the cost of not providing these services can often be much higher than maintaining them. For example, in an economic recession, the welfare state often acts as a buffer against mass unemployment and homelessness.

New Right believed that the welfare state was too costly and would ultimately lead to higher taxes preventing economic growth. New Right felt that this would lead to a decline in social mobility and an overall stagnation of society. New Right’s criticisms of collectivism and the welfare state provide a good overview of their general stance on the matter.

Not everyone agreed with the new rights perception of the welfare state and collectivism. There were, and still are, many people who believe that these systems can work well if designed and properly implemented. However, the New Right’s views on the matter were very influential at the time and helped shape many of the economic policies implemented in the 1980s and 1990s.

Benefits of welfare state

There are many benefits to having a state welfare system in place. Perhaps the most important is that it provides a safety net for those who are most vulnerable in society.

1. Welfare states help to protect people from poverty, homelessness, and starvation. They also provide essential services such as healthcare and education.
2. Another significant benefit of the welfare state is that it can help to prevent crime. This is because people who are struggling to make ends meet are often more likely to turn to criminal activity in order to survive.
3. The welfare state also helps to promote social cohesion and stability. This is because it gives people a sense of security and belonging.
4. Finally, the welfare state can act as a buffer against economic recessions. This is because it provides people with a safety net that they can fall back on if they lose their job or otherwise cannot support themselves.

While the New Right had valid view points on collectivism and welfare state, they are important to the current society.

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