component 1: conservatism Flashcards
core ideasand principles 1
Pragmatism: being practical anddoing what works, practise precedes theory,
Rejection of Utopia: As humans are imperfect, we are unable to come up with a set of utopian principles to work towards.
Tradition: strong support for traditional instituions e.g. monarchy, army, constitution, th nuclear family, religion. Too much change will undermine fabric of society.
Social Order: fundamenal aim is social order and cohesian: role of institutions is to maintain order
core principles and ideas 2
Hierarchy: society is based on hierarchy which can change over time,those at top govern society, cons supportive of aristorcracy and elite.
Change to conserve: Status Quo is never perfect but it has proved its worth over time, accumulated wisdom of previous generations, cons not against changebut sceptical to it especially change based on abstract concepts (Liberalism).
Paternalism: based on snese of duty amongst elite, ruling elite should care for others (noblesse oblige).
Libertarianism: This is economic freedom to make ones own economic decisions, associated with con belief in private property.
traditional conservatism
Linked to Hobbes, Burke, Oakeshott.
- authoritarian: deceloped as reaction against new ideas of social change.
- based onideas of human imperfection.
- reactionary: backwards looking - identified with landed aristocracy against emerging bourgeouis.
- Maintain hierarchy and social order - natural order of things
- opposed to any change but did become more pragmatic.
- opposed to ideology - dangers of fixed ideas about the world.
one-nation conservatism
Linked to Benjamin Disraeli
- introduced by Disraeli: concern for Britain becomign 2 nations: the rich and poor
- want a society where rich people are concerned for poor - duty to help poor but accept inequalities.
- pragmatic change for one nation was to prevent radical change and revolution, some reform to keep poor and powerless content.
- adapt organic view of society - society is a livign organism, develops and evolves to dit and match surroundings. .
- individualism - saw people a having duties and responsibilities to each other but still have freedom.
- dominant in 50s and 60s during post-war consensus.
- in line with trad cons - preserve key elements of society but also new ideas: kenesianism and economic management.
new right con
Linked to Ayn Rand
- combination of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism
Neo-liberalism: emphasis on self-reliance, laissez faire attitude, free market fundamentalism, low taxes, little gov involvement, privitisation, welfare state created dependency culture. As small as possible state
Neo-conservatism: Authoritarian view of social order, focus on law and order, trad views, danger of multiculturalism, anti-immigration leads to too much freedom and immoral behaviour.
Cross over with neo-liberals rejection of welfare state as it undermines trad family and moral values.
key thinkers: traditional conservatives
thomas hobbes: Human nature: extremely negative, selfish humans driven by self interest, state arises from a social contract between sovereign and people, society didn’t exist before creation of state, economic activity is only possible after creation of state, “life in a state or nature would be ‘nasty brutish and short.’
michael oakeshott: Human nature: somewhat negative, focused on intellectual imperfection, state should be guided by tradition and experience, society is like a multifaceted organism, communities, free makret is natural sttae of the market, ‘To be content is to prefer the tried to the untried’
edmund burke: human nature: humans are morally and intellectually fallible, state emerges and grows like and organism, state should ‘change to conserve’, Society is like a multifaceted orgnism, communites, traditions, customs etc. , have a symbiotic relationship, The free makret is the natural organic state of the marker and state should protect laissez-faire capitalism.
key thinkers: new right
Ayn Rand - Human nature: highest moral purpose should be pursuit of own selfish happiness, state should play a minimal role in indiciduals life, state should secure a free market, law and order and security, Free market capitalism with no state intervention and a privatsised deregulated economy.
Robert nozick: Human nature: positive, individuals are rational and driven by the idea of self-ownership, minarchist state, state should be limited to law and order and defence, role of state is to portect rights and maintain order, Society is essentially atomisitc, de-regulated economy.
