Conservative Party

The Conservative party emerged to defend the interests of big, reactionary landowners, of the conservative gentry and the clergy of the Church of England. They were called Tories – an insult with a touch of racial prejudice, as the name meant "Irish thief".

The other group consisted of merchants and landowners linked with commerce was called Whigs, or outlaws. Unlike Tory the name Whig is now forgotten.

Whigs were supporters of the Free Churches and of the expansion of trade and colonies as war brought them good profits. The land-owning Tories, on the other hand, had a more insular position and were opposed to warlike policies.

But in 1789 the French Revolution took place. As the Revolution became more violent in the following years, most Whigs rallied to the side of Tories to defend the existing order at home. After the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 Tories' policies were so repressive, there were so many bans (on meeting and clubs, for example) and raising of tax on all newspapers, that Whigs saw the danger of such politics. By the middle of the 19th century the Tory Party was split. After 1867 the Tory Party emerged as a new, freshened party with a brighter future. Whigs formed the Liberal Party.

It was Benjamin Disraeli, a brilliant orator, great politician, a man of many talents, who formed the new party of the conservatives. He completely reorganized the party, worked out the lines and program which it follows up to now. He succeeded in ending the unhappy quarrel between town and the country. The old force of landowners and the newly growing aristocracy among bourgeoisie in town were all united together in the new party.

Today the Conservative Party is the party of the Right, identified with the idea of economic freedom and mainly with the idea of resistance to change. The aims of the Party are: to uphold religion, to maintain defence forces adequate for prevention of war, to provide freedom and opportunity by supporting free enterprise, to encourage wider spread of ownership of property, to improve standards of life, to promote better health, to give greater educational opportunities. As it appeals to a property-owning democracy it is supported by wealthier classes, receiving much money from major business and financial institutions. It gives emphasis to the importance of law and order, and it is highly disciplined.

It was the Conservative Party that had Britain's first woman prime minister and the longest serving British prime minister of the 20th century – Margaret Thatcher, who successfully waged the war against Socialism and collectivism and who managed to reshape the image of the Conservative Party.

Notes to the text:

gentry – мелкое и среднее нетитулованное дворянство

clergy – духовенство

Tories – тори (политическая партия, возникла в конце 70-х – начале 80-х гг. 17 в.; выражала интересы наиболее реакционной части земельной аристократии и высшего духовенства англиканской церкви; в начале 19 в. преобразована в Консервативную партию)

Whigs – виги (политическая партия, возникла в конце 70-х 17 в.; выражала интересы крупной торговой и финансовой буржуазии; в середине 19 в. преобразована в Либеральную партию)

outlaw – человек вне закона, изгой, разбойник

insular – ограниченный, недалекий

to rally – собираться или сплачиваться (для совместных усилий)

Task 2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: защищать существующий порядок, запрет, раскалываться, разрабатывать программу, сопротивление, поддерживать религию, свободное предпринимательство, улучшать уровень жизни, придавать значение, вести войну.

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