Conservative Flashcards
(42 cards)
What is conservatism?
What do they prefer?
It’s the aim to conserve society it is existing form and the wary of change
They prefer pragmatism to ideological thinking
What are the core values of conservatism?
Tradition
Organic society
Human imperfection
Monarchy
Libeialtearism
What did Thomas Hobbs say of the state of nature?
The state of nature is a war of every man against every man
What did Thomas Hobbs say about life and humans?
Life would become solitary, poor nasty Brutish and short because humans are needy and vulnerable
What does Thomas Hobbs believe about humans?
Humans are imperfect conservatives have a pessimistic view of human nature and argue people flawed
Human nature is immutable which means cannot be improved
Humans are flawed in three ways psychologically morally and intellectually
What did Edmund Burke believe about human?
Believes humans aren’t as bad as they can work together, which means it disagrees with Hobbs
Believes humans are psychologically imperfect
Why did Edmund Bakh talk about humans and what happened during his time?
French Revolution occurred aristocracy and church enjoyed great privilege poor not
There was a popular revolution
The ideas of the new government were based on liberty equality fraternity
The king was an executed but then 40,000 people died surrounded by hostile armies
And the revolution ended as Napoleon was crowned and return of absolute power
What do conservatives believe about human nature?
Believe human nature is flawed and cannot be perfected
How does the idea of human imperfection contrast with liberal views?
It opposes the liberal belief that humans are rational and can make fulfilling choices if free
Why do conservatives think individuals can’t make good decisions?
Because they believe human imperfection limits rational decision-making
Why are humans considered psychologically imperfect?
Because our brains are not fully rational
How do psychologically imperfect humans tend to behave?
They choose familiar and comforting options over better alternatives
What are humans naturally drawn to instead of change?
Safety comfort and order
What should be preserved due to psychological imperfection?
Social order and hierarchy
Why do conservatives believe humans are morally imperfect?
Because people have flawed characters and can’t always act rationally or perfectly
How did conservatives view the cause of crime?
As a result of fraud, moral character, not social inequalities
What is the conservative solution moral imperfection?
Regulation of behaviour through strict laws and limits on permissiveness
Why do conservatives believe humans are intellectually imperfect?
Because the world is more complicated than our intellects are able to comprehend
How does conservatives view of intellectual imperfection disagree with the liberal view?
It disagrees with liberal view that humans can create a free society to their rationality
But conservatives say we are unable to fully understand the society around us
What do conservatives believe about the organic state or society?
They believe an organic state/society hopes to develop an organism and links to a cohesive society
What is changed to conserve and what is the link to?
It links to the idea of organic change in society conservatives believe it’s important to adapt to changing society to avoid revolution
What are some examples of change to conserve?
Conservative party were instrumental in rain women the vote in 1918 and 1928 campaigns for suffrage were disruptive to social order and there was a acceptance of women as voters reflects it changing attitudes and society to gender 
What is libertarianism?
It’s a philosophy that emphasises the rights of individuals Liberty
It’s about having the freedom through as little government involvement as possible
What does libertarianism advocate and emphasise?
It advocates minimal state intervention in the lives of citizens as the state should only protect individual rights and emphasises maximum economic freedom and minimal government regulation 
