Thinkers notes Flashcards
(61 cards)
Hobbes quote on life without state
Absence of state would lead to human life being “Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
Hobbes on Human nature
Humans are ruthless, calculating and inherently driven by their basic instincts for survival and self-interest, which would lead them to conflicting with each other
Hobbes on state
Strong state is necessary in order to prevent the chaos and conflict in the state of nature
Argued that the authority of a state couldn’t and shouldn’t be challenged, “Sovereign power cannot be justly questioned or opposed”
Burke nickname
Father of Conservatism
What strand was Burke
Traditional
Burke view on tradition and Empiricism
Strong support of both
Listen and learn from tradition
Tradition represented the accumulated wisdom of past societies
Tradition was a critical thread that linked past, present and future generations, creating a sense of belonging and continuity
Empiricism offered valuable guidance for how decisions should be made in socety and by the state
Burke Quote Tradition
Society is indeed a contract… it becomes a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born.”
Burke view of change
Favoured organic, gradual developments instead of abrupt, radical shifts
Slow evolution of societal norms and institutions, any change is rooted in the past and contributes to a sense of continuity
Burke didn’t support not changing, he set out ‘Changing to conserve’ emphasising that ‘a state without means of some change is without the means of its conservation’
Burke’s view on Humans
Imperfect and emphasised the need for moral guidance and structure in society, provided by Church and monarchy
Believed in localism and “little platoons” to prive individuals security, status and a sense of belonging. - Provide guidance and prevent destructive human imperfection
Disraeli strand
One nation
Disraeli belief
Paternalism (responsibility of the state and upper classes to safeguard and look after the welfare of the less priveleged in society)
Sense of moral duty, concept of ‘Noblesse Oblige’ which is paternalism in french
Disraeli view State
guardian that takes proactive steps to improve welfare of less privileged members of society, policies designed to alleviate poverty and provide social welfare
Oakeshott strand
Traditional
Main principle Oakeshott
Pragmatism
Human Nature Oakeshott
Imperfection but it has the potential for goodness and decensy when shaped by tradition and community
Oakeshott quotes
Human nature - “Noisy, foolish and flawed”
Ayn Rand strand
New Right (Neoliberal)
Rand main philosophy
Objectivism - Pursuing one’s own happiness isthe highest moral pursuit
She believed people were rational and could gain objective knowledge through reason
Rand economy
Laissez Faire Capitalism - Freedom in both personal and eonomic realms is necessary
State’s role is strictly limited to protecting individual rights, only system that fully respects and protects freedom of the individual
She didn’t like state being too involved especially in economy
Ayn Rand quotes
Objectivism - ‘The man who attempts to live for others is a dependent’
State involvement - “The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter of time”
Nozick strand
New Right (Neo-Liberal)
Nozick main things
Libertarianism
Self-Ownership
Nozick views on state
Minimal and Laissez Faire economy
State limited to the narrow functions of protecting individuals from force, theft, fraud and enforcing contracts
Support for minimal state was driven by the belief in freedom and individual autonomy rather than pragmatism
Nozick view on self-ownership
Individuals have sovereignty over their bodies and the fruits of their labour
Fundamental principle of justice, forming the basis of all individual rights
New Right’s opposition to redistributive policies, as such actions are seen as infringements on personal liberty and property rights
Self-ownership means that any exchange or transfer of property must be voluntary based on free consent and any coercion or redistribution by the state fundamentally infringes upon this right
