Conservatism view on society and the state

Question 1

What do traditional conservatives think about society?

Answer 1

-Strong hierarchy of power and privilege, social hierarchy is needed for stability and order alongside with the security that it provides for everyone in the social ladder.
-People should willingly enter a social contract.
-Strongly opposed to rebellion and revolution

Question 2

What is a social contract?

Answer 2

Surrendering some of their natural rights in exchange for security and order

Question 3

What does Edmund Burke think about society?

Answer 3

Society is organic and multi-faceted, compromising a host of small communities and organisations - ‘little platoons’

Question 4

Thomas Hobbes view on human nature = ?

Answer 4

There cannot be a ‘society’. until the creation of a state brings order and authority to human affairs. life until then is “nasty, brutal and short”.

Question 5

New right view on human nature = ?

Answer 5

-Ayn Rand thinks of the renewal of negative liberty
-Society should be geared around the individual
-Any attempt to restrict individual freedom in the name of society should be challenged

Question 6

What is negative liberty?

Answer 6

Negative liberty is freedom from interference by other people. Negative liberty is primarily concerned with freedom from external restraint.

Question 7

What does Robert Nozick advocate for?

Answer 7

Robert Nozick advocates for individual rights and self-ownership; he uses Wilt chamberlain as an example of this.

Question 8

What does Thatcher believe about society?

Answer 8

Doesn’t believe in a thing called society more about the individuals.

Question 9

What did Thatcher do when she was prime minister which changed societal beliefs?

Answer 9

Thatcher was big into traditional Judea christian beliefs as a result she introduced legislation that made teaching about gay and lesbian people [section 28] illegal. she also hated the new wave of sexualise and drug legislation that came about in the 1970s and 80s

Question 10

What does Thatchers belief make her more like?

Answer 10

Her beliefs especially her Judea christian morality beliefs make her more of that of a traditional conservative.

Question 11

One nation conservatives view on society?

Answer 11

-Localised communities are essential to humanity’s survival [Oakeshott]
-Trying to make society fairer and more equal [Macmillan]
-Improving society on the whole

Question 12

What does Oakeshott think about human nature?

Answer 12

Oakeshott believed that local community-oriented parishes are essential to humanity’s survival he believes this increases focus on short term requirements and the modest living he believes in rather than abstract unachievable goals.

Question 14

What do Traditional conservatives think about the state?

Answer 14

-Centralised authority
-Political absolutism
-Fundamental equality of human beings
-State assists in maintaining the patterns of wealth and power in society
-State is there to maintain order

Question 15

Political absolutism = ?

Answer 15

A Monarchy holds the power over the state

Question 16

What is Hobbes view on the state?

Answer 16

The state arises ‘contractually’ from individuals who seek order and security. to serve its purpose the state must be autocratic and awesome.

Question 17

What is Burkes view on the state?

Answer 17

The state arises organically and it should be aristocratic, driven by a hereditary elite reared to rule in the interest of all.

Question 18

New right view on the state = ?

Answer 18

-Strong in law and order
-Small state [libertarianism viewpoint]
-Self ownership
-Taxation is theft

Question 19

What does Ayn Rand think about the state?

Answer 19

She believes In “rolling back the frontiers of the state”. A small state is needed, this moves away from he traditional conservative viewpoint.

Question 20

What does “rolling back the frontiers of the state mean”?

Answer 20

Creating a smaller state and reducing the powers of the state so that they are only involved in law and order.

Question 21

What is Nozick’s view on the state?

Answer 21

-Supports Rand’s idea
-There should be a monarchism state, the state should be as small as possible [theory supported by Thatcher]
-Taxation is theft
-The minarchist state should merely outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services.

Question 22

What is a minarchist state?

Answer 22

This view believes a government’s only function is to protect the rights of its citizens.

Nightwatchman state.

Question 23

What do one nation conservatives think about the state?

Answer 23

-Large state in order to facilitate the welfare state.
-The state should be guided by tradition and practical concerns, these views are very in line with traditional conservative views.

Question 24

Welfare state = ?

Answer 24

A form of government in which the state protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of it’s citizens, based upon the principles of equal oppurtunity and the equal distribution of wealth.

Question 25

Oakeshott view on the state?

Answer 25

-Main aim is to keep the state afloat
-Guided by pragmatism
-State should also be guided by practical concerns

Question 26

What does guided by pragmatism mean?

Answer 26

An approach where you should evaluate theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical concerns.