In New Zealand, people refer National Party as
'Tories' so here I did some research about this term although I had learned it
on World History class through out the high school days.
The
terms 'Whig' and 'Tory' arose as abusive terms during what was known as the
'Exclusion Crisis', in the late seventeenth century over the Catholic heir to
the throne, James, Duke of York (later briefly King James II). James' supporters
were referred to by their opponents as 'Torys' from the Irish word 'Toraidhe'
which means cattle thief or outlaw. They lost power for a considerable period of
time after their support for the Jacobite cause in 1715, and it was not until
the 1780's that they were really to beat the Whig monopoly on power. 'Whig'
comes from the derogatory term 'Whiggamore' which was meant conservative
Scottish 'Covenanters'.
Politics
in the late eighteenth century England could be broadly divided into two
diametrically opposed camps - Whigs and Tories. What separated them? Broadly
defined, The Tories believed in the divine right of Kings to rule - that they
were ordained by God. Whigs believed that the King was there at the request and
goodwill of the ruling families of the country so could only continue to rule at
their approval.
Actually
I had never thought I might use Tory for the party I vote for when I had heard
the term long time ago.
