Who you have to mention: Conservatism

Question 1

Which ideas did Hobbes develop?

Answer 1

• Order: ordered society should balance human need to live a free life.
• Human nature: humans are needy, vulnerable and easily led astray in their attempts to undersand the world around them.

Question 2

Where is his idea of Order used?

Answer 2

• complete freedom and lack of a state would lead to war.
• people will therefore give up some freedom and natural rights for security through the establishment of political authority.
• government is formed with consent, and authorises those in power to preserve order.

Question 3

Where is his idea of human nature used?

Answer 3

• competing violently to obtain the basic necessities of life and other material gains.
• fighting out of fear
• seeking reputation.

Question 4

Which ideas did Edmund Burke develop?

Answer 4

• Change to Conserve: needs to be in place for an organic society to function.
• Respecting tradition: they represent practices passed down from one generation to the next.

Question 5

Where are Burke’s ideas of changing to conserve used?

Answer 5

• Change to conserve: state resembles a living organism, and so there needs to be gradual change for it to work.
• Reform should be limited.
• Revolutionary change threathens to cut off “roots” of organic society, leading to breakdown.

Question 6

Where is Burke’s idea of tradition used?

Answer 6

• Tradition: represent tried and tested things that should be kept alive.
• continuing tradition as a sign of respect, it provides stability and creates a sense of community.
• Encourages social cohesion.