The politics of the free-marketeers
by 'a Conservative'
Right Turn* is a review, written from a free. market standpoint, of the future line of
policy which ought to be possible under a Conservative government. It bears all the marks of a campaign devised and propa- gated by Mr Ralph Harris, and Mr Arthur Seldon, and the Institute of Economic Affairs, which, though much to the point in purpose and intention, leaves all too often
the impression of lacking political touch. In the manifesto before us, its brain is em- phatically in the right place. It says things
which most Conservatives believe in and to which ministers should turn their attention.
It is desirable that these things should be
said and we should doubtless rejoice even more over those among its authors like Mr
Dyson and Dr Boyson who are repenting sinners, than over those who never felt in- clined to join the Labour party in the first place.
Having said that, it remains to be added that this volume has defects of tone and unsubtleties so glaring that Conservatives should hesitate to trust much of their future to its authors. Many examples could be given. None is better than Dr Rhodes Boy- son's claim that 'it is time that all the leaders of the Tory party publicly and enthusiastic- ally declared a belief which would dissipate the smog of cynicism which has hung over us for so many years and obscured the en- during greatness of ouf country and its people'.
This in our view is simply not the case. In our view cynicism is desirable not only about the claims made by the theorists of socialism but also about the claims now be lag made with growing confidence by the advocates of free market politics. It is not that we disagree with the policies or the objectives. But cynicism about the abilitY of any politician to produce the conse- quences he promises is by now so necessary a facet of a mature politics that those who use the sort of rhetoric with which this volume is littered need to be far more skilful in execution than Dr Boyson and his companions. In partidular they need to be careful about `national greatness' which is a porous conception, which can very easily degener- ate into the most objectionable sort of cant, and which needs to be handled with great care. It can be handled best by those Who combine deep doubt about the effective- ness of political action with scepticism about politicians with a message. There is here a most delicate and difficult line to be followed. In this respect, as in many others, "one has the feeling that no one inhabiting the part of the political spectrum inhabited by these authors is very much good, and that Mr Powell alone has the necessary under- standing.
* Right Turn edited Dr Rhodes BoYs°" (Churchill Press Limited for the Constitu- tional Book Club 21s)
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