5.1.1 Conservatism: Core Ideas and Principles - Pragmatism and Tradition

Question 1

What is Pragmatism?

Answer 1

To be pragmatic is to reject ideology and dogma - and instead accept that the best route to solving a problem is not necessarily what one’s own ideological belief says.

Question 2

Examples of Pragmatism in the Tory Party

Answer 2

David Cameron’s Conservative Party changed its policies based on coalition compromises between 2010 and 2015.

John Major saw the poll tax as being not a pragmatic decision and was replaced with the Council Tax.

Question 3

What is tradition to a conservative?

Answer 3

onservatives believe that events in the past hold knowledge for people in the present can use.
Tradition, paternalism and hierarchy are closely linked - the people in history who have ruled (who are often of a higher class/income than others) know what is best for the people they are ruling.
New Right conservatism rejected lots of ideas of tradition, however

Question 4

What key thinker supported the idea of tradition and how?

Answer 4

Edmund Burke supported ideas of tradition - he wrote after the 1789 French Revolution about the dangers of rejecting the ideas of the past.
Because of human imperfection, we cannot just create a new society - we should listen to the lessons and teachings of the past and society should evolve organically to meet current needs.

Question 5

What is meant by the idea of organic change?

Answer 5

Organic change is the idea that social change should not be radical, or mechanistic (a liberal idea, where the interactions of rational individuals change the way society works).
Instead, society evolves through an organic process, and political processes and leaders emerge as a result of this organic process.
The society itself is more important than the individual parts within it.
Organic change is gradual rather than revolutionary and is supported by conservatives who wish to preserve order in society.

Question 6

What do conservatives believe about revolutionary change?

Answer 6

Conservatives believe that revolutionary change disrupts order and hierarchy and so is dangerous to law and order and private property.
Society is constantly evolving, and revolution does not solve society’s problems.
Society functions better and is safer if the change is gradual.

Question 7

Which conservative ideology rejects tradition?

Answer 7

New Right

Question 8

What are the arguments against revolutionary change?

Answer 8

1
Disrupts law and order
2
Society functions better and is safer if change is gradual
3
Society is constantly evolving so revolution doesn’t solve society’s problems