THE RHETORIC OF THE COALITION: GOVERNING IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST?

Abstract

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.