Competing Disraeli-isms: Tory Democracy and One-Nation Conservatism

Abstract

This chapter explores Benjamin Disraeli’s influence on two strands of Conservative Party ideology: Tory democracy and one-nation conservatism. Both rejected laissez-faire economics and promoted social reform, but one-nation conservatives favoured a more interventionist state. While Tory democrats used Disraeli as both a guide for policy and a legitimising tool for their platform, one-nation conservatives just used his reputation to legitimise their project, preferring to use the tools of Keynesianism to achieve Disraelian goals rather than updating Disraeli-ism for the twentieth century.

Dr David Jeffery

Lecturer in Politics

My research interests include British politics (widely defined), Liverpool’s political history, Scouse identity, and quantitative methodologies.