conservatives and society Flashcards
(5 cards)
structure
one agree 2 disagree
3 s
slightly significantly somewhat
agree order property rights and trad values crucial to a stable society
Order and the State:
All conservatives see a strong state as vital for maintaining order and security.
Hobbes (Leviathan): Without authority, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
New Right (Rand): Supports a minimal state, but still sees its role in providing security.
“The only proper purpose of a government is to protect man’s rights, which means: to protect him from physical violence.”
Property Rights:
Property ownership encourages responsibility and stability, discouraging socialist ideas.
One-Nation Conservatives: Supported state-led housing, e.g., Macmillan (300,000 homes per year).
New Right (Thatcher): Introduced Right to Buy, promoting private ownership.
Key Difference: New Right sees property as a fundamental right, not just a tool for social order.
Traditional Values:
Conservatives emphasize Judaeo-Christian morality and the nuclear family.
Traditional & One-Nation Conservatives: Support established institutions to maintain stability.
New Right (Neoconservatism): Opposed permissiveness, fearing moral decline.
Saw liberal social attitudes as a threat to societal cohesion in the 70’s
NR rejects organic society prefers atomistic
Traditional and One-Nation Conservatives:
View society as an organic society, like a “living organism,” where the whole is more important than any individual part.
Reject the liberal idea that society can be designed through rational planning, advocating for natural, gradual evolution instead.
Value stability and cohesion, prioritising the whole over individual needs and desires.
Support long-standing institutions (e.g., Church, monarchy) as vital for continuity, stability, and identity.
Burke’s concept of “little platoons”: Small communities (families, local groups) provide security, belonging, and status.
One-Nation conservatism champions patriotism and a cohesive society, focusing on unity over division despite class, region, or background.
The New Right:
Rejects the organic society view, instead promoting atomism: Society is a collection of independent individuals pursuing their own interests.
Focuses on individualism and minimising state intervention to protect individual freedom.
Rand’s view in The Virtue of Selfishness: “The smallest minority on earth is the individual.”
Thatcher (1987) famously stated, “There is no such thing as society: there are individual men and women, and there are families.”
Atomism shapes the New Right’s approach to economic management, social policy, and the role of the state.
Key Difference:
Traditional and One-Nation conservatives prioritise social cohesion and gradual change, while the New Right focuses on individual autonomy and minimal state control.
NR rejects paternalism and hierarchy
Paternalism: The belief that the state should govern in the best interests of the people, guiding society toward stability and welfare.
Conservatives argue that authority, when exercised responsibly, can enhance society and maintain social fabric by guiding and supporting citizens.
Human imperfection: Conservatives believe not all individuals are capable of self-governance and may need guidance.
Traditional conservatism: Supports an authoritarian approach, where the state, embodying tradition, knows best and citizens should follow its decisions.
One-Nation conservatism: Emphasises moral duty through the principle of ‘noblesse oblige’, where those in privileged positions have a duty to act generously toward the less fortunate.
Social reforms under Disraeli, such as the Public Health Act of 1875 and the Artisans’ and Labourers’ Dwellings Improvement Act of 1875, improved living conditions.
Hierarchy: Conservatives see hierarchical structures as natural and necessary for order and stability, with roles and statuses varying according to abilities and talents.
Burke’s view on hierarchy: “We fear God; we look up with awe to kings…” (reflected the naturalness of hierarchy in society).
One-Nation conservatives view paternalism as a pragmatic strategy to maintain the hierarchy and avoid societal upheaval or revolution, illustrated by Disraeli’s quote, “The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy.”
The New Right’s Rejection of Paternalism and Hierarchy:
The New Right rejects both paternalism and hierarchy, prioritising individualism, autonomy, and meritocracy.
Advocates for minimal government involvement in economic and social matters, allowing market forces to dictate outcomes for efficiency and prosperity.
Views paternalism and hierarchy as outdated relics that hinder individual liberty and market freedom.
The New Right’s atomism focuses on individuals rather than preserving a broader social structure or hierarchy.
Ayn Rand’s opposition to altruism: Argues that placing others’ needs above one’s own diminishes individual freedom and fosters dependence.
In The Virtue of Selfishness, Rand states, “The man who attempts to live for others is a dependent… makes parasites of those he serves.” Emphasises rational self-interest over self-sacrifice
