Conservatism

Question 1

Who are the 5 key thinkers

Answer 1

-Thomas Hobbes
-Edmund Burke
-Michael oakeshott
-Ayn rand
-Robert nozick

Question 2

4 key views

Answer 2

Human nature
The state
Society
Economy

Question 3

Thomas Hobbes famous quotes

Answer 3

‘Life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’
‘Promises without sword are just words’

Question 4

Edmund Burke famous quotes

Answer 4

‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’
‘Society is a contract between the dead, the living, and those yet to be born’

Question 5

Michael oakeshott key quotes

Answer 5

‘The conjunction of ruling and dreaming generates tyranny’
‘Conservatism is a conversation not an argument’

Question 6

Ayn Rand famous quotes

Answer 6

‘The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be the defenders of minorities’
‘Money is the barometer of a society’s virtues’

Question 7

Robert nozicks famous quotes

Answer 7

‘No state more extensive than the minimum state can ever be justified’
‘Taxation of earnings from labour is on par with forced labour’
‘Any attempts at wealth redistribution is socially legitimised theft’

Question 8

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 8

If left to their own devices human beings would naturally commit atrocities on each other
You must have a strong, brutal state and government able to manage flawed human beings
The state is justified in using coercion, force and violence to control us

Question 9

Edmund Burke

Answer 9

Supported American colonists in the American revolution against the British crown
Horrified by French Revolution specifically rejection of monarchy

Question 10

Michael oakeshott

Answer 10

Importance of tradition as a unifying force
Anti ideological
Believed in rationalism
Compared the state to a ship at sea - most important is to keep ship afloat not arrive at destination

Question 11

Ayn Rand

Answer 11

Opposed to most aspects of state/govt
Promotes selfishness as a worthwhile value - said it made rational and ethical sense
Believed in complete right of individual over the state
True value of any society was how much wealth it produced

Question 12

Robert nozick

Answer 12

Believed in small state govt
The only role of state should be to protect us from internal/external harm/threat
Compared taxation to forced labour
Compared wealth redistribution to theft

Question 13

4 key values - Thomas Hobbes

Answer 13

Human nature: humans are driven by desire for power and without order life would be short and unpleasant

State: the state is necessary to impose order and prevent chaos

Society: the need for a strong, centralised authority to maintain peace

Economy:

Question 14

4 key values - Edmund Burke

Answer 14

Human nature: humans are imperfect and need to recognise their limitations

State: the state is a partnership between past present and future generations-traditions and institutions should be preserved

Society: a ‘natural aristocracy’ should guide society emphasising the importance of family and local community ‘little platoons’

Economy: advocates for stability and caution against radical change

Question 15

4 key values - Michael oakeshott

Answer 15

Human nature: conservatism is a conversation about human limitations not ideological struggle

State: the state should be a tool for ongoing dialogue and adaptation

Society: conservatism is kore about maintaining practical order than ideological welfare

Economy:

Question 16

4 key values - Robert nozick

Answer 16

Human nature: emphasises individual rights and freedom

State: the states role should be minimal, limited to protection of individual rights

Society: people should have the freedom to pursue their own interests without state interference

Economy: a free market economy is preferable with minimal govt interference

Question 17

Thomas Hobbes provenance - leviathan

Answer 17

-written during English civil war, it argues for social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign
- he wrote that the ‘war of all against all’ could be avoided only by a strong undivided govt

Question 18

Edmund Burke provenance

Answer 18

-Reflections of revolution in France (best intellectual attacks against French Revolution)
-conservative intellectuals recast Burkes arguments as a critique of state socialism/marxism
-apprehensive of enlightenment

Question 19

Michael oakeshott provenance

Answer 19

-one nation supporter as he supporter conservative PM Harold McMillan
- defending post war consensus
-detested the rise of Marxism
-his work always argues against extremism

Question 20

Ayn rand - povenance

Answer 20

-Despises socialism and comminism because of her background
-critical of =FDRs new deal
-encouraged resistance to the growing power of govt
-atheist despite born to a Jewish family

Question 21

Robert nozick provenance

Answer 21

-criticised liberal thinker john Rawls ‘theory of justice’ in his direct response by his book anarchy state and utopia
-writing In the time of the breakdown of new deal consensus in us and post war consensus uk
-writing at peak of Cold War - socialism unpopular and associated with ussr
Influenced by new right economists, moncur Olsen

Question 22

Hobbes - economy

Answer 22

Constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security

Question 23

Edmund Burke - economy

Answer 23

Trade should involve ‘organic’ free markets and laissez-faire capitalism

Question 24

Michael oakeshott - economy

Answer 24

Free markets are volatile and unpredictable and may require pragmatic moderation by the state

Question 25

Ayn rand - economy

Answer 25

Free market capitalism is an expression of ‘objectivist’ individualism and should not be hindered by the state

Question 26

Robert nozick - economy

Answer 26

The minarchist state should detach itself from a privatised and deregulated economy, merely arbitrating disputes between private economic organisations

Question 27

Hobbes - society

Answer 27

There can be no society until the creation of state brings order and authority to human affairs - life until then is nasty brutish and short

Question 28

Edmund Burke - society

Answer 28

Society is organic and multi-faceted comprising a host of small communities and organisations (little platoons)

Question 29

Michael oakeshott - society

Answer 29

Localised communities are essential to o humanity’s survival especially when guided by short term requirements rather than abstract ideas

Question 30

Ayn rand - society

Answer 30

Society does not exist in any practical form it was ideally just a loose collection of independent individuals- atomistic

Question 31

Robert nozick - society

Answer 31

Society should be geared to individual self fulfilment

Question 32

Hobbes - human nature

Answer 32

Humans are needy and vulnerable people will compete violently to get the basics necessities of life and other material gains, will challenge others and fight out of fear to ensure their personal safety

Question 33

Edmund Burke - human nature

Answer 33

Sceptical - the crooked timber of humanity is marked by a gap between aspiration and achievements we may conceive of perfection but we are unable to achieve it

Question 34

Michael oakeshott - human nature

Answer 34

Most men and women are fallible but not terrible and imperfect but not immoral

Question 35

Ayn rand - human nature

Answer 35

Objectivist - we are ands ought to be guided by rational self interest and the pursuit of self fulfilment

Question 36

Robert nozick - human nature

Answer 36

Egotistical - individuals are driven my a quest for self ownership allowing them to realise their full potential

Question 37

Hobbes - state

Answer 37

The state arises contractually from individuals who seek order and security to serve its purpose - state must be autocratic and awesome

Question 38

Edmund Burke - state

Answer 38

The state arises organically and should be aristocratic driven by hereditary elites - reared to rule in the interests of all

Question 39

Oakeshott - state

Answer 39

The state should be guided by tradition and practical concerns pragmatism not dogmatism - should be its watch word

Question 40

Ayn rand - state

Answer 40

The state should confine itself to law order and national security - any attempt to promote positive liberty via further state intervention should be resisted. Small state is strong state

Question 41

Robert nozick - state

Answer 41

The minarchist or right watch man state should merely outsource , renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services. The growth of govt was the gravest contemporary threat to individual freedom