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AQA:Political Ideologies > Conservatism > Flashcards

Conservatism Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the change to conserve?

A

-fundamental principle of conservatism
-distinguishes conservative from a reactionary
-belief that for something valuable to be preserved it has to be continuously updated and maintained

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2
Q

What was Hobbes key work?

A

-Leviathan (1651)
–> written during the English Civil War (period of chaos and anarchy)

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3
Q

What was Hobbes view during the Enlightenment?

A

-the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ was flimsy reasoning
-instead he wanted a ‘government by consent’ where government authority lies with governed rather than any monarch or god

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4
Q

Context of Edmund Burke:

A

-viewed as a progressive rather than reactionary figure
-endorsed Adam Smith’s economic Liberalism
-supported the American Revolution (1775) + opposed French Revolution

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5
Q

What was Burke’s key work?

A

-Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790)
–>’Man is by nature reasonable’

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6
Q

Key differences between Hobbes and Burke?

A

-Burke disliked Hobbes’ idea of concentrated power
-Burke was more into the concept of a ‘natural’ ruling class or aristocracy

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7
Q

What was argued in Leviathan?

A

-sceptical of human nature
-argued that prior to the state there was no co-operation or voluntary arrangement between individuals and therefore none of the ‘natural rights’ implied by Liberals
-viewed that humans were driven by an un-flinching self-interest
-state of nature would be ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’
-state of nature would agree to a ‘contract’ to form a ‘sovereign’ to make laws to restrain everyone and allow order and security –> eventually lead to a society

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8
Q

Background of Burke?

A

-Whig MP
-championed progressive causes in the late 18th century
-defended Irish tenants in their clash with extortionate landlords
-advocated for free trade (Smith)
-radical vibe + father of conservatism

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9
Q

Burke’s critique of the French Revolution?

A

-based on ‘philosophical abstraction’

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10
Q

What did Burke think of change?

A

-must be organic
-we need change to be based on history that is slow (like evolutionary change)

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11
Q

What was Burke’s big idea for society?

A

-should be based on ‘little platoons’
-multitude of small, diverse and largely autonomous communities which would ‘acknowledge, nurture and prune…the crooked timber of humanity’

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12
Q

What is human imperfection?

A

-shorthand term for conservatism’s view of human nature
-stresses frailty, fallibility and limited capacity for self-improvement

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13
Q

Oakeshott’s key term to describe human nature?

A

-‘a philosophy of imperfection’
-‘fallible not terrible’
-‘imperfect not immoral’

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14
Q

What was Oakeshott’s key work?

A

-On Being Conservative (1962)

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15
Q

What was the approach Oakeshott took to life and politics generally?

A

-empirical and pragmatic

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16
Q

What was Oakeshott’s final work and what did he argue?

A

-The Politics of Faith and the Politics of Scepticism (1996)
-the state existed to ‘prevent the bad rather than create the good’
-nautical metaphor: ‘we all sail a boundless sea, with no appointed destination’

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17
Q

Who were Oakeshott’s critics?

A

-New Right
-claimed his philosophy was fatalistic and underestimates our ability so shape circumstance
-Nozick stated it was ‘lazy’

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18
Q

What was Rand’s key work?

A

The Foutainhead (1943)
-‘I recognise no obligation towards men expect one: to respect their freedom’

The Virtue of Selfishness (1964)
-nod to traditional conservatism
-even the most dynamic individuals need periodic restraint of formal authority + support of communities
-‘objectivism’
-we should all be guided by self-interest and ‘rational self-fulfilment’

Atlas Shrugged (1957)
-need talented individuals to prevent society from ‘withering’ away

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19
Q

What is meant by the term Atomism?

A

-denotes New Right/ Neo-liberal view
-human being prioritise autonomy and ‘space’
-view that is rejected by traditional conservatives (they argue individuals are connected to their communities)

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20
Q

What is meant by the term Neo-Liberalism?

A

-linked to Friedrich von Hayek
-updates principles of classical liberalism
-emphasises individual liberty within the context of minimal state interference
-argued that liberty can only be secured if state intervention is significantly reduced

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21
Q

What was the key work of Robert Nozick?

A

Anarchy, State and Utopia (1974)
-growth of government was the gravest threat to individual freedom
-growth of welfare state fostered a ‘dependency culture’

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22
Q

What type of state did Nozick want?

A

‘Minarchist’:
-involved outsourcing public services to private companies
-due to his optimistic view of human nature
-would allow a multitude of self-sufficient communities

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23
Q

Nozick: ‘tax, for…

A

the most part, is theft’

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24
Q

What is Paternalism?

A

-obligations that society’s stronger and richer classes have towards the less fortunate + society was a whole
-akin to the responsibilities of a parent to the younger members of a family

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25
What is One-Nation?
-dates from the 1870s -linked to Benjamin Disraeli -denotes the belief that conservatism should prioritise national cohesion by attending to the condition of society's poorer classes -used to justify conservative support for greater state intervention in both society and the economy
26
How do conservatives view private property?
-something bequeathed and inherited property (example of Burke's 'partnership' between the dead, the living and yet to be born) -something linked to local institutions (churches or schools) private property gives tangible basis for Burke's 'little platoons' -associated with wealth: basis for paternalism -force of stability
27
What is social conservatism?
-denotes support for conventional family structures + codes of conduct that reflect traditional morality -concerned by rising levels of divorce, abortion and 'alternative' lifestyles -view them as regrettable effects of social liberalism
28
Phrase used by Rand to describe society?
'a kaleidoscope of autonomous individuals'
29
Rand: 'a surplus of obligation...
...spawns a deficiency of innovation'
30
What is Thatcherism?
-synonym for New Right Conservatism in the UK -1979-1990 Thatcher Govs pursued a controversial mixture of Neo-liberal policies (e.g privatisation and tax reduction) -and Neo-conservative policies (e.g strengthened police powers, curbs on immigration and tax breaks for 'traditional' families)
31
Oakeshott on Empiricism:
'a preference for what is known rather than envisaged'
32
What is Oakeshott's Nautical metaphor?
33
What is Empiricism?
-preference for evidence of theory -emphasises the 'what is' over 'what should be'
34
Rand: 'The small state...
...is the strong state'
35
Disraeli: 'the palace is...
...not safe when the cottage is not happy'
36
Rand's view of individuals in society?
-they are 'over-indulgent' -people are 'over-reliant' on state welfare and therefore 'indifferent to notions of self-reliance and individual initiative'
37
What is Neo-Conservatism?
-in response to alleged problem of 'ungovernability' -wished to reassert Christian morality and social conservatism + revive national identity + assert a strong formidable state
38
What is Neo-Liberalism?
-associated with the book The Road to Serfdom (1944) -echoed by Rand and Nozick -'set the people free' from state interference -expand individual freedom, diminish the 'dependency culture' + advance free market economy
39
What was Hobbes view of human nature?
-Holds a cynical view of human nature (sees them as selfish, fearful and drive by a ‘desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death’-leviathan) -Human nature is rational (similar to liberalism and later neoliberalism)
40
What was Hobbes view of the state?
-People come together in a social contract to create a sovereign -Sovereign has absolute power in order to ensure order and stability for society to thrive
41
What was Hobbes view of society?
-Paternalistic view of society (its organic and living) -Can only exist when stability, authority and order were present (require obedience and loyalty to the sovereign)
42
What was Hobbes view of the economy?
-A powerful sovereign able to impose order and stability is essential to the working economy -must be stability and order for the economy to thrive
43
What was Burke's view of human nature?
-Sceptical about human nature (not flawless nor could be perfected) → agreement with Hobbes -Viewed humans as flawed but capable of goodness and affection to others if their actions are informed by tradition -Humans seek bonds of trust (‘little platoons’)
44
What was Burke's view of the state?
-No contract in Hobbesian terms only a contract between the dead, the living and the yet to be born -The state is natural and organic and emerges gradually in response to human needs -Hierarchy was natural + the state and ruling class should act with public service (have a sense of duty to less well off) -Opposed to vast, centralised and remote state structures (prefers the natural bonds of trust and loyalty in ‘little platoons’)
45
What was Burke's view of society?
-Paternalistic view of society (its organic and living) -Held organic view of society with a natural hierarchy and natural talents to govern -Favoured a society built around ‘little platoons’
46
What was Burke's view of the economy?
-Importance of property rights and the state in protecting them -Markets should operate free from gov interference -Was the paternalistic responsibility of the natural elites to alleviate poverty (through private charity)
47
What was Oakeshott's view of human nature?
-Saw humans as ‘fragile and fallible’ and they have a preference for the known -Focus on imperfection highlights human fallibility rather than human potential -‘Politics of scepticism’ over ‘politics of faith’ -we are imperfect psychologically and politically (incapable of by ourselves dreaming up utopias)
48
What was Oakeshott's view of the state?
-Should be guided by pragmatism
49
What was Oakeshott's view of society?
-Emphasised the importance of the known (tried and tested) and was sceptical about human progress -Change should be modest, rooted in the past and most of all realistic, rather than fanciful and optimistic
50
What was Oakeshott's view of the economy?
-Private property is a form of security and power -Should be widely spread as possible in society in order to protect liberty
51
What was Rand's view of human nature?
-More positive view of human nature (viewed them as rational and dignified in their pursuit of goals) -Leaves individuals to make their own choices in the social and economic sphere (makes human achievement more fulfilling and inspiring)
52
What was Rand's view of the state?
-Should be small and exist for the purpose of national security, enforcing contracts and maintaining law and order
53
What was Rand's view of society?
-Directly challenged organic view of society seeing it as more atomistic (individuals operating separately) -Viewed individuals pursuing their own ends -Have a more positive view of human progress -Society has right to place restrictions on the individual -Should be allowed to make their own rational decisions in social and economic spheres -Ex personally found homosexuality ‘disgusting’ she did not believe it should be banned/restricted by the state -Ex opposed racial segregation a feature in much of America’s Deep South
54
What was Rand's view of the economy?
-Free-market capitalism (‘separation of state and economics’) -Protects the rights of the individual to use their own mind, act on judgment + work for values and keep their hard work -Believes that the success of talented individuals creates and moral space + conditions for the less talented to thrive too -’without property rights there are no rights’
55
What was Nozick's view of human nature?
-More positive view of human nature (viewed them as rational and dignified in their pursuit of goals) -Leaves individuals to make their own choices in the social and economic sphere (makes human achievement more fulfilling and inspiring)
56
What was Nozick's view of the state?
-Should be small and exist for the purpose of national security, enforcing contracts and maintaining law and order -Distributive justice (taxation and the welfare state) was unjust as it legalised the theft of wealth + benefitted those who had done nothing to contribute to it -1974: ‘forced labour’
57
What was Nozick's view of society?
-Directly challenged organic view of society seeing it as more atomistic (individuals operating separately) -Viewed individuals pursuing their own ends -Have a more positive view of human progress -Society has right to place restrictions on the individual -Should be allowed to make their own rational decisions in social and economic spheres
58
What was Nozick's view of the economy?
-Welfare state is like forced labour -Individuals are forced to pay taxes to create resources for those who have contributed nothing -Believes that the success of talented individuals creates and moral space + conditions for the less talented to thrive too
59
Key difference in idea between Neo-Conservatism and Neo-Liberalism?
Neo-Liberalism: -wished to 'roll back the frontiers of the state' -wished to advance individual liberty -relaxed about immigration (Nozick viewed it as an expression of free markets + choice) -keen to contain state spending and taxation Neo-Conservatism: -wished to roll forward 'the frontiers of the state' -wished to restrict individual liberty -more wary (Thatcher believed it would 'swap' British culture) -increase state spending on police, security and at the armed forces (Thatcher's nuclear deterrent)
60
Context for when Hobbes was writing:
-English civil wars (1640s) convinced him of the need for a strong and powerful state to prioritise peace and order over individual rights
61
Context for when Burke was writing:
-French Rev in the late 18th century made him hostile to violent revolution and states based on abstract ideals -Valued the notion of a ‘natural and organic state’
62
Context for when Oakeshott was writing:
-WW2 and post-war welfare state led him to empathise the importance of pragmatism by governments -Rejected the ideas of utopian societies (both left and right wing)
63
Context for when Rand was writing:
-Growing up during the Russia Rev gave her an intense hatred of socialism and collectivism -Experience in the USA and the growth of the federal government there led her to fear a similar restriction on individual freedom the USA as well
64
Context for when Nozick was writing:
-Wrote in a similar period to Rand -Emphasised individual freedom and rejected the higher taxes that an expanded post-war state required from its citizens -Wrote in part to challenge the new liberal ideas of his Harvard contemporary Rawls

AQA:Political Ideologies (4 decks)

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