Conservatism - Radical Conservative Ideas Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is libertarianism?
Libertarianism is the promotion of freedom, free choice and autonomy, mainly focused on applying these concepts to the economy
What are libertarians?
Libertarians take positions similar to classical liberals - supporting freedom, individuality and as little government interference in the economy as possible
What do libertarians believe about state functions?
- libertarians favour a ‘night-watchman state’ - where the only functions of the state are to protect private property and maintain law and order
- the State only has a military, police and courts
- this is an extreme and radical idea which many conservatives would reject
What do libertarians believe about the economy?
- libertarians support a free market economy, believing that individuals should be responsible for their won economic choices and that the government should not intervene
- in a free market, the price of goods and services are set by the forces of supply and demand
- libertarians believe that government intervention makes a market inefficient
How do libertarians view moral values?
- libertarians support freedom from government intervention in an individuals personal life
- libertarians tend to accept things that have been historically more controversial in people’s personal lives, just as long as it does not harm others
- for example, libertarians in the US support the right to own a gun
- libertarians have historically supported the right of gay people to marry
- this goes against conservative ideas of anti-permissiveness
What is laissez-faire?
Laissez-faire is a political and economic system which supports as little government intervention as possible in business and the state
How does laissez-faire work?
- laissez-faire is a political and economic system which supports as little government intervention as possible in business and the state
- this is also associated with neo-liberalism and with classic liberal thinkers like Adam Smith
How did the Conservative Party involve laissez-faire?
- the Conservative Party adopted the economic stance of laissez-faireismunder the leadership of Robert Peel
- however, laissez-faire fairs is a policy that tends to be supported by liberals and neoliberals
- for much of the 19th century, the Conservative Party did not support free trade, an important part of laissez-faire economics
What are radical beliefs & Atomism?
Radical beliefs are those that challenge norms in society, established ideas, and the status quo. Atomism is the idea that society is made up of individuals who look after themselves
What are radical ideas in conservatism?
- radical ideas in politics often challenge the existing political, economic and social systems
- traditional and one-national conservatives reject radical ideas, supporting gradual change and conservation of the structures of society
- thatcher supported radical ideas, such as free market capitalism and deregulation of business
What is Atomism?
- atomism is the idea that society is made up of individuals who look after themselves. These individuals are self-sufficient and self-interested
- these individuals come together to form society
- conservatives believe that atomism binds society together through entrepreneurship rather than socialist principles of equality
- atomism is associated more with radical ideas in- such as neoliberalism, rather than traditional and one-nation conservative ideas
- Margaret thatchers once said that “there is no such thing as society”
What is egoistical individualism?
- atomism is also known as egoistical individualism
- this links to Ayn Rand’s idea of selfishness as a positive trait
- Rand believed that we should actively seek to look after own interests, instead of relying on the state
- crucially, this type of selfishness should not be at the expense of others
