Conservatism Flashcards
(14 cards)
Rand Context/Impact
- she saw her father impoverished and her family driven to the brink of starvation by the Soviet revolution, an experience that forged her contempt for all notions of the collective good. Tea Party movement pushed for minimal government, deregulation. Liz Truss – Free Market Policies and deregulation. Adam Smith institute pressure group. Opposition of wealth distribution
Oakeshott impact
Anti-utopian ideals reflected in UK Conservative Party policies that focus on incremental reform rather than revolution, and that prgametically address key issues.
Hobbes impact
– Support for law and order policies, strong government.
Burke Impact
Supports conservative scepticism toward utopian ideologies such as socialism or radical liberalism, Supports conservative emphasis on constitutional monarchy and respect for long-standing institutions, Burkean ideas justify conservative support for institutions like the monarchy, family values, and scepticism of rapid social change. This is reflected in UK Conservative Party policies that focus on incremental reform rather than revolution.
Nozick Impact
Influences libertarian conservatism, advocating for reduced government intervention in personal and economic life, Justifies tax cuts and minimal state intervention in property rights.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed human nature. (2019 and grid)
P - Traditional Conservatives have a pessimistic view of human nature
E – Hobbes believed humans are selfish and driven by a desire for security. Thus, he believed obedience to a sovereign was necessary as life without the restraints of formal authority in the state of nature would be “nasty, brutish and short”
E – Also believed humans are rational which led individuals to create a social contract and a formal state
P – Burke rejected the idea that human nature was guided by reason and stressed mankind’s imperfection and fallibility.
E –He also rejected Hobbes’ individualistic view, believing human nature was naturally communal.
A - Led him to rejecting the idea that humans could create the perfect society, believing we could perceive it but not create it.
P – Rand believed in egotistical individualism and rationalism
E – Believed we are all guided by rational self-interest and this is both productive and morally just. “Reason is man’s basic means of survival”
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed the state. (grid)
P – Traditional conservatives such as Hobbes believed the state provides protections.
E – Specifically from life in the state of nature which would be “nasty, brutish and short”. Committed to “government by consent” He believed we transfer our rights to the state in a social contract. Believes the state should be dominant and decisive to prevent anarchy (a Leviathan)
P – Burke believed the state should preserve tradition
E – Believes legitimate states evolve over time by preserving what we have inherited from previous generations, changing gradually based on tradition. The affairs of the state should be conducted on he basis of measured judgement and consideration of the past rather than abstract theories. Also believed in a paternalistic state. Likened the state to a parent
A – Significant as it led to his condemnation of the French revolution believing change should be gradual. Expressed horror at how the children of France were treating their parents.
P – New Right Conservatives condemn the current state by suggesting it cannot focus on its function of law and order. Rand believes the state should be limited.
E – Rand believes the nation state is burdened by nationalised industries and welfare states distracted government from its purpose of securing liberty through order. Believed the role of government was strictly limited. Government has no right to tax or force altruism onto people.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed society.
P – Believed society was organic and living
E – Burke believed society develops naturally, it’s not for mankind to try and improve it. Society should evolve by adapting to changing circumstances based on the accumulated knowledge of the past. Also believed society was defined by communities – “little platoons” in which individuals are closely connected. Believed mans nature was co-operative leading us to finding groups with our shared values.
P –tra Hobbes believed society was part of a social contract to prevent chaos.
E – Believed man was selfish and driven by a desire for security, meaning life in the state of nature with no authoritarian leader would be “nasty, brutish and short”. Therefore, he believed individuals in society must give up their rights to a Leviathan who would provide protection in exchange for their loyalty.
P – Rand views society as atomised
E – Collection of self-interested individuals who should be free to pursue their own happiness and believed in the “virtue of selfishness” – talented individuals rather than ambitious governments lay at the heart of any successful society.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have viewed the economy. (2020 and grid)
P – Oakeshott believed free markets is the natural state of the economy but may require pragmatic moderation by the state
P – Rand believed in free market capitalism with no state intervention and a privatised economy..
E - View of an atomistic society, should not be hindered by others or the state. Believed in the separation of the state and economics to have harmony and justice. Complete Laissez-faire economy. Capitalism is the only economic system that is moral as it ensures our ability to achieve our potential without our talents being exploited.
P – Nozick believed the minarchist state should deregulate the economy and simply arbitrate disputes between economic organisations and maximise the freedom of the individual.
E - “Tax for the most part is theft” and like slave labour, they force you to work and then take your money. Redistribution of wealth undermined state ownership, it is also pointless as constant intervention is needed to maintain the unnatural status quo. People would have nothing to strive for and innovation would be stifled.
Explain and analyse three ways that tradition is important to conservative thinkers. (specimen)
P – Traditional Conservatives such as Burke believes a state with longevity and a respect of tradition is how we should measure the success of a political institution.
E – Believes the state should conduct it’s affairs in accordance to tradition as if states have withstood the test of time it should be valued as it reflects the accumulated wisdom of generations of people.
A - Justifies conservative resistance to radical change (e.g., constitutional reform).
P –Hobbes was a traditional conservative, writing in his book Leviathan about the need to maintain order to avoid the ‘state of nature’ in which humans are at their natural worst.
E - Tradition essential to prevent anarchy and social collapse. Hobbes argues that established institutions, like monarchy, maintain order. Our human nature yearns for security and traditional authority can provide this.
A - Influences conservative support for law-and-order policies
P – Oakeshott – Tradition, specifically knowledge learnt through the past can help us keep society afloat
E – Through experience rather than abstract philosophy we can achieve wisdom. “Using experience to navigate every storm”. Believed practical knowledge learnt through experience produces technical knowledge which is needed to make the best decisions. Believed politicians should be guided by “intimations” – hints from the past – as the outcomes of policies are unknown. Criticised how rationalists ignore traditional knowledge even though ideologies are abstracted from tradition and the evolution of ideas.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers have justified private property. (textbook)
Rand believed individuals have the right to keep and enjoy the fruits of their labor, and that private property is essential for personal flourishing, arguing that it creates an environment of competition and innovation and contribute to the overall prosperity of society.
Michael Oakeshott believed that private property is a part of the free market and Oakeshott believes the free market is the natural state of society.
Edmund Burke in his work “Reflections on the Revolution in France.”, argued that property ownership is a fundamental right that provides individuals with security, freedom, and a sense of belonging within society.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservatism can be viewed as the politics of imperfection. (MRN)
P – Oakeshott argued that Conservatism is a philosophy of imperfection not pessimism
E – In his book On Being Conservative he wrote men are incapable of the perfect society but are still able to secure pleasure and improvement. Believed those who are reconciled to human imperfection allows us a greater appreciation of the pleasures that already exist. Rejects a utopian, idealistic society.
A - Influences conservative resistance to large-scale state intervention and preference for pragmatic, incremental change.
P - Hobbes believed humans are imperfect, in fact selfish and driven by a desire for security.
E - Thus, he believed obedience to a sovereign was necessary as life without the restraints of formal authority in the state of nature would be “nasty, brutish and short”
A - Justifies conservative support for strong government authority and strict law-and-order policies.
P – Burke rejected the idea that human nature was guided by reason and stressed mankind’s imperfection and fallibility.
E - Led him to rejecting the idea that humans could create the perfect society, believing we could perceive it but not create it. Believed traditional institutions provide the stability necessary for our desire for continuity.
A - Supports conservative scepticism toward utopian ideologies such as socialism or radical liberalism.
Explain and analyse three ways in which conservative thinkers viewed authority. (ZigZag)
P – Hobbes’ Leviathan
E - Believes the state should be dominant and decisive to prevent anarchy. He believed individuals in society must give up their rights to a Leviathan who would provide protection in exchange for their loyalty.
P – Oakeshott – Believed dictators such as Hitler led enterprise associations (imposing a universal purpose on its subjects) with ideological goals that were destructive of individuality. Believes instead in a limited government that merely enforces existing rules and laws, leaving people alone to pursue their own interests.
P – Rand sceptical of authority and believed in limited government.
E – Believed the growth of government was the gravest contemporary threat to individual freedom. Thought the growth of welfare states in Eastern Europe fostered a dependency. Instead believed in a minarchist state which would be preserved only for the purpose of civil defence and disputing contractual disputes. Within this, individuals should also be left alone in social and cultural spheres as well.
Explain and analyse three ways that pragmatism is important to conservative thinkers. (ZigZag)
P - Burke believed society should evolve gradually according to tradition
E - Believed society was organic and living, thus society develops naturally, it’s not for mankind to try and improve it. Society should evolve by adapting to changing circumstances based on the accumulated knowledge of the past. Burke opposed the French Revolution, arguing that abrupt societal changes lead to instability.
P – Oakeshott believed we should not strive for a set destination but rather adapt to challenges
E – Nautical metaphor – “In political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea; there is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting point nor appointed destination.”
P – Nozick who was pragmatic regarding which type of societies were established by different communities as long as these were in a minarchist state. Specifically, he believed that individuals within self-sufficient communities should be free to practice or establish their own morals and values whether these be socialist, libertarian, anti-Christian ect.
