Toryism

The word “tori” comes from the Central Irish tóraidhe (in modern Irish “tóraí”) - “a person who is outlawed”, a robber dating back to the Irish “tórahe” - “persecution” since those who were outlawed were “persecuted people”. ^{[4] [5]} ) It was originally used to refer to Irish rappari (“Rapparee” - “spear-bearer; militia”), and later became applicable to the Irish Confederates or armed royalists . ^[6] Thus, the term was initially offensive until it was used as a political label (the history of the concept of “ whig ” was similar).

Towards the end of the reign of Charles II (1660–1685), a debate unfolded over whether his brother Jacob, Duke of York, had the right to inherit the throne or not. “Whigs” (from the English “whiggamore”, “cattle drover”, ^[7] which was the stereotypical nickname of the radical wing of anti-Catholic covenants ) was originally an insulting word that called proponents of exclusion of Jacob from the line of succession on the basis of his religion: Duke of York openly professed Catholicism. Those who did not want Jacob's exclusion received the name “ Abgorrera, ” and later, “Tories.” Titus Oates applied the term “Tories” (which then had the meaning of “Irish robber”) to those who did not believe in the “ papist conspiracy ” he had fabricated; gradually this name spread to all those who sympathized with the Catholic Duke of York. ^[eight]

The suffix -ism (which appeared in English in the 17th century) was added to the words “Whig” and “Tory” to form the words “ Wiggism ” and “Toryism”, which denoted political philosophy (principles and methods) of each of the two fractions.

English and British Politics

Historically, the term “Tory” has been applied to those who were loyal to the British monarchy. Initially, it was applied to isolated groups of insurgents who opposed Oliver Cromwell during the nine-month Irish campaign of 1649-1650. who were in allied relations with the royalists thanks to an agreement with the Confederate Parliament of Ireland , signed at Kilkenny in January 1649; ^{[9] The} later term will apply to the landless Catholics of Ulster after the Restoration . ^[ten]

During the crisis caused by Bill's challenge, the word “Tory” began to be used in England as a nickname given to those who opposed the bill (known by the name of the Abgorreans . The concept of “Tory” had such connotations as “ papist ” and “ robber ” ^[11] (the latter is rooted in the use of the word in Ireland).

The English Tories between the Glorious Revolution and the Electoral Reform of 1832 were characterized by strong monarchism , the support of the Church of England and the categorical rejection of radical reforms. The Tory Party was a political organization that periodically came to power during the same period. ^[12]

Since 1832, the term “Tory” has been usually (and not quite correctly) used to refer to the Conservative Party and its members.

United States of America

The terms “tori” or “loyalist” were used during the American Revolution to refer to those who maintained loyalty to the British Crown. Since the end of the 17th century, the concept of “Tory” has described those who supported the idea of ​​the superiority of the king over parliament. During the War of Independence, especially after the signing of the US Declaration of Independence in 1776, its use in this sense was expanded to include everyone who remained loyal to the British Crown. About 80% of the loyalists remained in the United States after the war. About 60,000 loyalists who migrated to Canada , the Bahamas or returned to Britain after the end of the American War of Independence are also known as United Empire Loyalists. ^[13]

On February 12, 1798, Thomas Jefferson described the Federalist Party as follows: “The political sect [...], which believes that the executive branch is the branch of our government that is most needed to be supported, [which] are called federalists, sometimes aristocrats or monocrats, and sometimes Tories, the honor of the corresponding sect in the English government, which is defined in the same way ” ^[14] . However, this was a hostile naming used by opponents of the federalists (one of which was Jefferson himself), and which the federalists themselves never applied to themselves, although after the war they were supporters of close relations with the former metropolis.

Canada

The term “Tories” was used to describe the British ruling classes of Upper and Lower Canada in the period leading up to the creation of the Canadian Confederation , also known as the Family Compact and Château Clique (an elite within the ruling classes, whose members often were representatives of that section of society, which were the Loyalists of the United Empire .

In post-confederate Canada, the terms “ Red Tories ” and “ Blue Tories ” have long been used to describe the two wings of the Conservative Party (before its creation, the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP)). Dyadic tension was born as a result of a political alliance (1854) between British-Canadian Tories, Franco-Canadian traditionalists and sections of the nascent commercial classes that were characterized by monarchist and loyalist inclinations, many of which were not satisfied with pro-American and annexationist tendencies within the party radical liberals (Clear Grits). The power and fame of the Tories in political culture has been a constant feature of life in Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Islands , Ontario, and Manitoba . ^[15]

By the 1930s, Canadian toric fractions were associated either with urban financial elites or with land traditionalists in the interior of the country. The Red Tori is a member of the more moderate wing of the party (in the tradition of John Farthing and George Grant ). They, for the most part, are united by a commitment to British traditions in Canada. ^[sixteen]

Throughout Canadian history, the Conservative Party has been under the control of the “ MacDonaldian ” ideological elements of torism, which in a Canadian context means adherence to the Anglo-Canadian traditions of the monarchy, Empire-Commonwealth, parliamentary governance, nationalism, protectionism, social reforms and, ultimately, recognition of the need "Welfare states." ^[17]

By the 1970s, the Progressive Conservative Party was a Keynesian consensus party. With the start of stagflation in the 1970s, some Canadian Tories fell under the influence of neoliberal ideas that were in use in the UK and the USA, among which the most popular were privatization and intervention policies defined by economic theories of supply . In Canada, these Tories began to be called neoconservatives (this term has an excellent meaning in the United States). By the early 1980s there were no ideologically pure neocons among the Torist leadership, but Brian Mulroney , who became party leader in 1983, gradually embraced many of the political ideas of the governments of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan . ^[18]

Since Mulroney led the Progressive Conservative Party in a more neo-conservative direction, which found its implementation in such political initiatives as deregulation, privatization, free trade and the consumer tax, called the goods and services tax (GST), many tori traditionalists began to express concern about the political and cultural schism in the party.

The creation of the Reform Party of Canada in 1986 attracted some neoliberals and social conservatives who left the Tory party, and since some of the neoconservative actions of the Mulroney government were unpopular, some provincial right-wingers also joined the Reform party. In 1993, Mulroney resigned instead of participating in the election campaign, based on his personal achievements after nine years in power. The move left the PKP in a state of discord and trying to figure out how to make Torism relevant in provinces such as Quebec , Saskatchewan , Alberta, and British Columbia , which have never had a strong Thorist tradition and political culture.

After that, in the 1990s, the PCP was a small party in the Canadian House of Commons and could exert legislative pressure on the government only through its influence in the Senate of Canada . Ultimately, due to the death and resignation of some senators, this influence waned. Joe Clark led the party, but the break with the reformists significantly undermined the strength of the united voices of the Reds and Blue Tories in Canada.

By the end of the 1990s, voices were voiced about the need to unite the right-wing political forces in Canada in order to prevent a liberal majority in parliament. Many Tories (both red and blue) opposed such a move. The rest took a pragmatic approach, believing that it could help revive a strong party system. The Canadian Union Party (into which the Reform Party was transformed) and some of the leading Tories tried to conclude an alliance created on a common basis. Although the leader of progressive conservatives Joe Clark strongly opposed this idea, but despite this, negotiations continued and, in the end, in December 2003, the Canadian Union and progressive conservative parties voted to unite in a new party called the “Conservative Party of Canada” .

Following the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Union in 2003, a debate unfolded over whether to keep the Tory name at the federal level. Although it was widely believed that some members of the union would be offended by it, it was officially adopted by the newly formed party during the 2004 party convention , at which the party leader was elected. Stephen Harper , a former Conservative Party leader and Canadian Prime Minister, often calls himself the Tory. He also suggested that the new party is a natural evolution of the conservative political movement in Canada. ^{[19] [20]}

Texas Revolution

In Texas, 1832-36 support for the Texas Revolution was not unanimous. Local "Tories" were supporters of the Mexican government: for the most part, they were owners of private property, whose origin did not connect them with the Deep South . They were least interested in politics; they strove for reconciliation, not war; they sought to be neutral with respect to both sides of the conflict. However, they preferred the economic, political, and social privileges that they enjoyed as citizens of Mexico, and the revolution threatened to jeopardize the security of their world. ^[21]

The concept of “Tory” has become a symbol for both members of the Conservative Party of Great Britain and the whole party. Some conservatives call themselves “Tories," and the concept itself has become widespread in the media.

In Canada, the term “Tory” can describe any member of the Conservative Party of Canada , its predecessor party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, or any party bearing the same name. This concept is often used in opposition to the term “Grit” (“radical; liberal”), which has become a symbol for the Liberal Party of Canada and its members, “Dipper” (symbol for the New Democratic Party and “Seppies” - members of the Quebec Separatist Party of Quebec block (Bloc Québécois).

In Australia, Tory is used by members of the Australian Labor Party as a derogatory name for members of the conservative and often coalition Liberal and National parties. ^[22]

• Tory Act University of Tulsa; Order of the Continental Congress, Philadelphia, January 2, 1776
• The Elections in England — Tories and Whigs Marxists.org (Karl Marx article in The New York Tribune, 1852)