Neo-Conservatives: Responding to those in need

Before I decide to attack the current issues that are being selfishly avoided by the neo-conservatives, I thought it's only fair to look at some some of the founding principles of the conservative party that we are being led by these days.  One in particular seemed very interesting.  It is a belief that it is the responsibility of individuals to provide for themselves, their families and their dependents, while recognizing that government must respond to those who require assistance and compassion (Conservative Party, 2011).  If responding to poverty is by the means of locking poor people behind bars, then I think we have a problem.

Neo-conservatives hold a very strong belief in how society should be run and its policy on welfare and justice systems.  They hold a very sharp view of society and how it should be.  They also have strong views on poverty.  The main focal point of the society is individuals living within it.  People are responsible for their own making.  This dates back to the origins of this theory, where the emphasis was on traditional values and strong individualism.  Family, being the centre of society, is required to provide safety and welfare for its members.  It also makes sure that its members are competent enough to compete in the society.  Following the Darwinian thought that unfit parents will produce unfit children (Mullaly, 2007, p.83) gives the assumption and the neo-conservative belief that poverty like many other social problems, are a product of unfit, weak and deviant family structure.

So, if the people are responsible to maintain their own fortune, the government is not seen as a source of help to those affected by poverty.  In fact, the conservatives have been very inimical to the welfare state.  It’s seen as a structure that weakens the traditional sources of help.  With only the deserving poor, children, elderly and the disabled being seen as the ones in need, it leaves the other poor people in hopelessness and despair.  Social justice, to neo-conservatives is based on the belief in individual responsibility.  Every individual has a responsibility to look after him or herself.  When people do not carry out this responsibility, problems such as unemployment lack of resources and inadequate housing occur (Mullaly, 2007, p. 78).

This illustration presents the extreme of the neo-conservative thought although it is not too far-fetched.  I believe that little is being done to help those in poverty or those living with mental health problems.  Neo-conservative belief in tough law and order only encourages this reality.  The issue is not being addressed as it ought to.  That poverty is believed to have sprouted from the individuals, who are not capable to provide for themselves the basic needs of survival, is a typical argument that neo-conservative theory would support.  Poverty is not something that neo-conservatives see as being a social problem; rather it’s a problem that the individuals themselves are required to fix.  This view of poverty and their policy on such puts the blame on people living in it, rather than finding solutions to resolve it.  Poverty will never be demolished until we dig deeper within our society and tackle the fundamental factors that have allowed poverty to exist and flourish.

Medina

Refrences

Conservative Party Canada. (2011). Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.conservative.ca/party/founding­_principles/

Mullaly R. (2007). The new structural social work (3^rd Ed.). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University  Press.