Conservative Party (Thatcher era, 1975–1990)
United Kingdom
Basis for the estimate: 1979, 1983 and 1987 manifestos: privatization, union reform, monetarism, right to buy, Falklands, free votes on capital punishment.
Political placement
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 84 | toward market | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 61 | near the center | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 35 | near the center | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 76 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 70 | toward intervention |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 85 | toward private ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 51 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 76 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 64 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 20 | toward democratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 72 | toward hierarchical |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 19 | toward free market |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 70 | toward intervention |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 54 | near the center |
Party scores are estimated from platforms and records; individual members can differ. How scores are made.
Key positions (estimated)
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| A national religious authority should have the power to veto legislation. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Foreign wars should be avoided unless national territory is directly threatened. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Reducing the gap between rich and poor should be a major government goal. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Traditional values should guide what society considers right and wrong. | Agrees | estimated |
| Neutrality is preferable to involvement in disputes between major powers. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
Closest ideologies
Neoconservatism89% similar positionNational Liberalism88% similar positionConservative Liberalism84% similar positionModerate Conservatism84% similar positionTraditional Conservatism83% similar position
Most similar parties
Republican Party (Reagan era, 1980s)93% similarLiberal Party of Australia92% similarConservative Party of Canada92% similarConservative Party90% similarPeople's Party89% similar
Sources
- Wikipedia: Thatcherism (Wikipedia search)
- Chapel Hill Expert Survey (expert ratings of party positions)
- Manifesto Project (coded election platforms)
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.