Howard the ideologue

Howard is certainly an ideologue, but not a pro-market ideologue. He is a creature of the Liberal Party, not a creature of right-wing think tanks, steeped in anti-Labor politics rather than conservative thought. He has pursued his economic ideology furthest where it coincides with Liberal Party interests in undermining ALP support bases.

Howard’s discipline and attention to detail make him the perfect leader in the perpetual campaigns in which modern politics is fought.

Howard’s weaknesses as a political leader are closely related to his strengths. The line between discipline and stubbornness can be a thin one.

After losing so many ministers due to various indiscretions in his first term, Howard decided that his ministerial code of conduct was too disruptive. Political learning that succeeded in stemming the disruptions to the government that continual ministerial scandals had provided has become stubbornness in refusing to sack ministers unless their actions were directly brought into question.

After losing too many ministers in his first term for trivial offences, ministers now tend to be like limpets, making a mockery of the concept of ministerial responsibility.

Howard learns on the job, but he hasn’t learned everything.

Change the government and you change the country, Paul Keating warned us in 1996. Yet, multiple election victories don’t necessarily presage great changes in national sentiment. Howard’s legislative legacy may be eclipsed in short order once he steps aside from the country’s leadership. Such is the fate of conservative leaders, even successful ones.