The Rhetoric of the Coalition

Governing in the National Interest

Bibliographic Data

ID5825952
AuthorsAndrew S Crines (0000-0002-6878-5030, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume49
Issue2
Pages207-218
Publication date2013-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueRepresentation (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0034-4893 • E-ISSN: 1749-4001
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00344893.2013.775962
OpenAlexW2079794480
LanguageEN
Citations received16
References cited15

This article examines coalition rhetoric across two political dimensions. These are the economic and social spheres. To conduct this analysis, the article examines how elites frame their rhetoric towards drawing out specific reactions from their audiences by using their individual political credibility. For the Liberal Democrats, this implies 'progressive' forms of rhetoric, whilst for the Conservatives a more 'market orientated' form of rhetoric is utilised. Through emotive and/or logical language, it becomes possible for such elites to construct appealing rhetoric for their chosen audience. Central to both, however, is the national interest. The importance of the national interest overrides previous ideological concerns, given that it enables the coalition to claim governing legitimacy. Broadly defined, the national interest is conflated as the growth of capital, the promotion of 'wealth creation', enabling social welfare. In terms of the coalition, tied to this interest are economic and social reforms designed to promote a specific reconceptualisation of morality rooted in more traditional values. Consequently, this article presents a rhetorical assessment of the coalition tied to its economic and social reform agenda. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to thank Dr Richard Hayton, Dr Timothy Heppell and Professor Pete Dorey for their valuable suggestions and comments on earlier drafts. Notes The term modernisation is used because of the emphasis Cameron placed on the changes made to the Conservatives whilst in opposition. However, the inadequacy of the term may come from more subjective interpretations of the party reforms. A fuller critical evaluation of these methodological houses is out of scope for this article; however they provide a fascinating assessment of prior scholarship relevant to rhetorical analysis

Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Irish and British Studies · Political and Economic history of UK and US

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