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The New Right has developed a set of theoretically
and philosophically sophisticated ideas to combat the liberal
and socialist theories which had defeated "The Old Right".
The Old Right is normally seen as conservative and traditionalist,
backwards looking towards aristocracy and feudalism, and to be
generally anti-rationalist.
The New Right has several theoretical aspects: Public
Choice Theory generally takes "classical" individual
behaviour and extrapolates it into the wider society. Positivism
is based on the idea that individuals will take rational action
to maximise their benefits and minimise their costs. The 'Austrian
School' proposed theories of value, generally attempting to extend
classical economics into the political arena.
The Central Idea of the New Right is the free individual
Positive Stereotype - the creator, who would make himself
and others prosperous, "if only the government would keep
out of the way and not disrupt him"
Negative Stereotype - "The Leviathon", "a
giant superhuman figure composed entirely of the miniscule bodies
of the state's citizens" (p. 128). As individuals sacrifice
their own interests to the state, they become de-personalised
and consumed by the state. The system should be capitalist, and
every effort must be made to diminish the working of the state
and to liberate markets.
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