Conservatism

Question 1

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

Answer 1

• traditional (but came before)
• ORDER
• HUMAN NATURE
• important for human nature and role of state
• human imperfection
• strong state to prevent and control conflict and control state of nature
• strong state = leviathan
• “every man against every man”
• “life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
• ## without restraints of formal authority, relations between human beings would be marked with “envy hatred and war”

Question 2

Edmund Burke (1729-97)

Answer 2

• traditional (created)
• CHNAGE
• TRADITION/EMIRICISM
• mentioned for everything
• (“Reflection On The French Revolution”)
• Tradition and empiricism
• outlined tradition, pragmatism, cautious to change, human imperfection, organic society and hierarchy
• “change in order to conserve” but also “a state without the means of some change is without means of its conservation”
• “society is indeed a contract…a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are yet to be born”.
• need for Oder in society and “little platoons” to provide individuals with security and status. Crucial to guide humans and prevent imperfection being destructive.
• ‘a state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation’
• ‘example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other’

Question 3

Michael Oakeshott (1901-90)

Answer 3

• traditional (very important)
• HUMAN IMPERFECTION
• PRAGMATISM
• ‘On Being Conservative’
• govt should govern best interests of people grounded in pragmatism and empiricism
• pragmatism - political action guided by practical knowledge
• “ to be conservative then is to prefer the familiar to the unknown, the tried to the untried, fact to mystery, the actual to the possible …convenient to the perfect”.
• “men sail a boundless and bottomless sea… to keep afloat on an even keel”
• “what has stood the test of time is good and must not be lightly cast aside”
• human behaviour = “noisy, foolish, and flawed” but can be “benign and benevolent”

Question 4

Ayn Rand

Answer 4

• new right
• OBJECTIVISM
• FREEDOM
• neoliberalism
• reject empiricism
• advocate for individualism and capitalism
• laissez faire economy
• personal and economic freedom
• objectivism - rational self interest - The Virtue Of Selfishness “ the man who attempts to live for others os a dependent. He is a parasite in motive and makes parasites of those he serves”
• society doesn’t exist but instead a loose collection of independent beings
• against dependency

Question 5

Robert Nozick

Answer 5

• new right
• LIBERTARIANISM
• SELF OWNERSHIP
• reject empiricism
• libertarianism and laissez faire capitalism with minimal state to prevent right infringement
• self ownership - individual sovereignty over fruits of labour.
• “freedom-loving pack animals”
• “no state more extensive than the minimal state can be justified”
• no redistribution
• self ownership, Individual sovereignty, property rights

Question 6

Disraeli

Answer 6

• one nation
• conservative PM in late 19th century
• paternalism and no less oblique
• state and upper class responsible for lower class
• ‘ palace is not safe if the cottage is not happy’
• cohesive society
• counter class division

Question 7

Pragmatism

Answer 7

• a practical attitude
• flexible approach to society with decisions made on the basis of what works
• Burke - ‘example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other’
• Burke - ‘change in order to conserve’
• Burke influence Disraeli and One Nation
• rejected by neoliberals as they have more positive view of human nature and prefer rationalism

Question 8

Tradition

Answer 8

• accumulated wisdom of the past
• connection between generations
• proven their worth and fit for purpose
• Burke - tradition vital for continuity and peace - ‘partnership between those living, sad and yet to be born’
• tradition allows sense of belonging and social cohesion and stability by removing uncertainty
• abandoning tradition is dangerous
• oakeshott - ‘what has stood the test of time is good and must not be lightly cast aside’
• abandoning tradition examples - French and Russian Revolutions

Question 9

Types of human imperfection

Answer 9

Moral - selfish and motivated by base impulses
Psychological - security driven and socially dependent relying ion tradition and culture for identity
Intellectual - reality is beyond rational understanding. Abstract ideas and theories are flawed

Question 10

Hobbes Human imperfection

Answer 10

• humans are flawed which makes them incapable of making good decisions for themselves
• Hobbes ‘Leviathan’ - humans are imperfect and self interested. In ‘state of nature’ humans desire material gratification, power and are distrustful
• state of nature = before state
• Hobbes recognise humans are rational and capable of desiring an authority to order them

Question 11

Burke human imperfection

Answer 11

• agreed with Hobbes that humans are imperfect
• disagreed to extent of imperfection
• not ruthlessly individualistic
• imperfection bands them together in supportive communities

Question 12

Oakeshott human imperfection

Answer 12

• more common agreements with Burke than Hobbes
• human are fragile and fallible (capable of making mistakes)
• capable of benevolence (good and kindness)
• perfection in society not possible

Question 13

Empiricism

Answer 13

Changes made are informed by past experiences

Question 14

Empiricism

Answer 14

Changes made are informed by past experiences

Question 15

Rationalism definition

Answer 15

• changes made informed by abstract ideas

Question 16

Organism society/state

Answer 16

• society/state more important than any individual parts
• traditional believe state provides necessary order for society to mature with traditions
• ‘little platoons’
• provides social cohesion
• hierarchical
• unequal talents and abilities
• Hobbes - ruled by absolute monarch
• Burke - aristocracy with responsibility for lower orders
• links to paternalism and noblesse oblige

Question 17

Paternalism

Answer 17

• benign power from above the states that governs in the interest of the people
• society = unequal and a range in natural hierarchy
• ruling class have NO to those below
• traditional - upper class helping lower in tradition of NO
• one nation - social reforms and limited welfarism from ruling elite to help poorest and preserve stability
• McMillan more state intervention and larger welfare state
• neoconservatives fear dependency

Question 18

Libertarianism (neoliberalism)

Answer 18

• upholds liberty
• maximise autonomy and free choice mainly in economy
• emphasises negative freedom and minimal state intervention
• atomistic society with self interested and self sufficient individuals
• reject empiricism
• egotistical individualism - individual rights more important than those of the state
• negative freedom

Question 19

Traditional conservatives

Answer 19

• commitment to hierarchic and paternalistic views

Question 20

One natio

Answer 20

• updating of traditional values in response to emergence of capitalism

Question 21

New right

Answer 21

• marriage of neoliberal and neoconservative idea

Question 22

Neoliberal

Answer 22

• principle concerned with free market economics and atomistic individualism

Question 23

Neoconservative

Answer 23

• principally concerned with the fear of social fragmentation, tough on law and order and public mortality