6.2 Conservatism tensions Flashcards
1
Q
4
Outline the emergence of different conservative branches
A
- Traditional - emerged as reaction to Enlightement and French Revolution of 18th Century
- ON - emerged due to poor living conditions and social inequality of industrial revolution
- New Right (neo-conservatism) - emerged as reaction to 1960s social revolution
- New Right (neo-liberalism) - emerged in reaction to breakdown of post-war economic consensus in 1970s
2
Q
6
Outline Traditional Conservatism
A
- Committed to natural unequal heirarchy as elite best placed to rule over society
- Pragmatic approach to change, which should be evolutionary and organic
- humans imperfect
- laissez-faire approach to economy
- society akin to a living organism
- 3 aspects
3
Q
3
Describe the three types of traditional conservatism
A
- Reactionary traditional conservatism (Hobbes) - defensive against decline of arisocratic rule
- Non-reactionary traditional conservatism (Burke) - disagree on extent of human imperfection, organic change based on empricism
- Modern traditonal conservatism (Oakeshott) - focuses on psychological imperfection
4
Q
4
Outline One-Nation conservatism
A
- Updating of traditional conservatism in response to the emergence of industrial capitalism
- greater social reforms for working class to ensure social order and protection of heriarchy and traditions for stability
- Later advocate greater state economic management via Keynesian economics
- form of nationalism where all classes are part of ‘the nation’
5
Q
3
Outline the New Right
A
- Marriage of neo-liberal and neoconservative ideas
- Neo-liberal - principally concerned with free-market economics and atomistic individualism
- Neo-conservative - principally concerned with the fear of social fragmentation, tough on law and order and public morality (i.e. anti-permissive)
6
Q
3
Describe unity on human nature among conservatives
A
- Trad Con, ON and neo-Cons have negative perception - Hobbesian human imperfection
- Human imperfection drives hierarchal nature of society (neo-libs argue positive view drives meritocracy)
- Therefore pragmatism needed
7
Q
4
Describe Traditional Conservative views on human nature
A
- Humans morally, intellectualy and psychologically imperfect
- Leads to preference for empricism and pragmatism in statescraft
- Most Trad Cons view humans as communal creatures and society as organic
- Hierarchal and organic state protects individuals from inherent selfishness
8
Q
3
Describe Traditional Conservative thinkers’ views on human nature
A
- Hobbes - humans driven by self-interest and rational enough to recognise need for absolute monarchy to maintain order
- Burke - intellectually falliible so distrust abstract ideas based on rationalism
- Oakeshott - psychological fragility means humans lack capabilities to attempt complex rational ideas e.g. keynesian economics
9
Q
3
Describe One Nation views on human nature
A
- Early ON adopted Trad Con analysis of human imperfection
- Criticised rationalism and held preference for pragmatism and organic society
- Later ON adopted more rationalistic ideas e.g. Keynesian economics
10
Q
4
Describe neo-conservative views on human nature
A
- Subscribe to Hobbesian human imperfection - innate and unchangeable
- Advocate tough law and order to maintain societal stability
- Negative view of human nature leads them to conlcude that state is required to ensure an organic society
- However, neo-conservatives also open to later ON ideas of rationalism and state management
11
Q
5
Describe neo-liberal views on human nature
A
- Reject human imperfection, embracing rationalism to pursue self-interest (though through positive lense, not negative one)
- However view humans as autonomous individuals, in line with traditional conservative thinking
- Individual’s first loyalty is to personal happiness within atomistic society
- Organic society constrains individual freedom needed for rationalism
- Prefer logic and scientfic fact to empircism and pragmatism of traditional conservatism
12
Q
8
Describe unity on the role of the state among conservatives
A
- All see state as necessary for law and order to maintain civil society
- All view state as highest sovereign body in society
- State is essential force in society to maintain stability and prevent harmful divisions - informs One Nation paternalism
- State vulnerable to radical change (living organism)
- State should allow and protect private property
- Trad Con/ON/Neo-con support state intervention in society via taxation
- All oppose supranationalism
- All fear overly-expansive state
13
Q
2
Describe why different conservative branches oppose supranationalism
A
- Trad Con/ON/Neo-Con as it threatens national sovereignty
- Neo-libs as it threatens individual freedom
14
Q
3
Why do different conservative branches support private property?
A
- All view it as vital component of economy to provide psychological security within society, especially during recessions
- exists within organic society for Trad Con/ON/Neo-Con
- essential for neo-liberal atomistic society
15
Q
4
Describe traditional conservative views on the role of the state
A
- Primary purpose of state is to preserve organic society
- State should be governed by natural ruling class
- Generally support minimal state with limited social and economic involvement
- Burke argues ruling state must accept paternalist-inspired and empirically-designed changes to preserve this structure
