Conservatism

Question 1

Why does conservatism seek to conserve society?

Answer 1

It is suspicious of change

Question 2

What does conservatism value over ideological thinking?

Answer 2

Pragmatism. It seeks to adapt its values over time, according to changes in society.

Question 3

What time period challenged much of what conservatism had traditionally stood for?

Answer 3

1970s and 1980s (neo-conservatism and thatcher)

Question 4

What are two defintiosn of consevative (adjective)?

Answer 4

• Adverse to change or innovation and holding traditional values
• Favouring free enterprise, private ownership and socially conservative ideas

Question 5

What is pragmatism?

Answer 5

The rejection of ideology and the favouring of making decisions based off of practical experience. Humans lack the intellectual capacity to understand complex political snd economic theories, so leaders need to emphasise caution, moderation and continuity.

Question 6

Who are two key figures in the history of conservatism that advocated pragmatism?

Answer 6

• Edmund Burke (18th century during French revolution, believed in ‘evolution, not revolution)
• Michael Oakshott (20th century)

Question 7

What is one thing that pragmatism really focuses on?

Answer 7

Evolution. Keep things steady and stable and maintain law and order and established institutions.

Question 8

Which two branches conservativism emphasise pragmatism?

Answer 8

Traditional and One Nation Conservatism

Question 9

Hwo did the Conservative government which took power in 1951 act in a pragmatic way?

Answer 9

They maintained the welfare state established by the post-ww2 Labour government due to its popularity and its effectiveness in combating the 5 giants of the Beveridge Report.

Question 10

Why do Conservatives value tradition?

Answer 10

Institutions, customs and practices of the past (monarchy, constitution, religion, family and marriage) have been the building blocks of society and should be passed down. It brings social cohesion, security and certainty.

Question 11

What did Burke believe about tradition?

Answer 11

Each generation has a duty to pass these traditions on to the next

Question 12

What was a recent time in which the majority of Tory MPs controversially upheld tradition?

Answer 12

2/3s of Tory MPs voted against same-sex marriage to conserve tradition

Question 13

What do traditionalists believe tradition leads to?

Answer 13

Social cohesion, security and certainty which creates a stable society

Question 14

What is the traditionalist group of the UK conservative party?

Answer 14

Cornerstone group

Question 15

Do Conseravtives believe humans are perfect?

Answer 15

Humans are imperfect and psychologically and morally flawed according to conservatives. They have the capacity to do evil and therefore need strong law and order to be kept in check.

Question 16

How do conservatives believe we should manage the imperfection of man?

Answer 16

• A tough stance on law and order
• Promote national security
• Have a political system which recognises self-interest as more of a motivator than altruism (recognises selfishness of man)

Question 17

What is atomism?

Answer 17

Belief that society made up of self-interested individuals and so should be treated like it

Question 18

What can atomism explain in society?

Answer 18

Social breakdown and isolation

Question 19

How do some conservatives view altruism?

Answer 19

Many conservatives believe that altruism for the sake of it is a complete waste of time. This is because, for example, if the rich give to the poor again and again then the poor become dependant and that is not good for anyone in society. It is therefore better to allow people to decide as to whether or not you want to be altruistic, you must not force it. Many more traditional comservatives, e.g. Burke, believe more in altruism and a duty for the priviliged to help the poor.

Question 20

How do some conservatives view atomism?

Answer 20

Many conservatives believe thatbbeing a self-interested individual can have both benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, it can drive success and progress through entrepeuners and innovators, but if left unchecked it can cause a broken society. Some more traditional conservatives believe atomism leads to degeneracy and social breakdown.

Question 21

How do conservatives propose tackling psychological imperfection?

Answer 21

Social order. Order must be put over liberty as it provides much needed security, predictability and stability. Liberty raises uncertainty.

Question 22

How do conservatives propose tackling moral imperfections?

Answer 22

Humans are naturally selfish and greedy but this does not necessarily need to be discouraged. Anti-social behaviour can only be attributed to human nature not economic or social disadvantage (poverty). Severe sanctions (strong law and order) is the only effective deterrent.

Question 23

How do conservatives propose tackling intellectual imperfections?

Answer 23

Humans do not posses the mental facilities to make sense of a complex modern world, therefore, humans must draw on tradition, history and practical experience over overarching ideologies (marxism)

Question 24

What is the conservative idea of an organic society/state?

Answer 24

Society is like a living organism, all its parts must work together in order to ensure its ‘health’. There is a careful balance of interacting elements within a society can maintain things like affection, security and concern. Those in authority, higher up the hierarchy, have greater responsibility and are key to the society.

Question 25

What are the 4 parts of the Conservative organic society?

Answer 25

• Religion/faith
• Family
• Law and Order
• Institutions of power

Question 26

What is the traditional conservative idea of paternalism?

Answer 26

Those in authority (the elites) have a duty of care to the ‘lower orders’ (“noblesse oblige”). Soft paternalism is where recipients willingly accept their situation (e.g. working class love the Queen). Hard paternalism is where the elites force this upon the lower classes in an authoritarian manner.

Question 27

Which historical Tory PM promoted paternalism most?

Answer 27

Benjamin Disraeli saw that 19th C society was dividing into rich and poor. In order for the elites to preserve this privileges, they had a social obligation to improve the lives of the poor (‘One Nation Paternalism’). Disraeli and many others saw this as a way to reduce the risk of revolution, like was seen in France.

Question 28

Which branch of conservatism rejects paternalism? Why?

Answer 28

Neo-Liberalism. They believe in less state intervention to protect individual freedom, paternalism when imposed stifles individual initiative (poverty or risk of poverty is a powerful initiative, if a strong safety net exists then people are less driven) and increases dependency which can cause economic stagnation.

Question 29

What are the Neo-liberal moral objections to State Welfare?

Answer 29

• It creates a ‘dependency culture’ by depriving people of self-respect and dignity, undermines personal responsibility and initiatives (Hayek maintained in 1944 that dependency on the state would produce a ‘new serfdom’ and re-instate feudalism).
• Dependency also eroded parental financial responsibility undermining the institution of the family.
• Taxation to fund welfare system is ‘state robbery’ of hard working individuals

Question 30

What are libertarians within the scope of Conservatism?

Answer 30

Those on the economic right who advocate for laissez faire capitalism, privatisation and private property rights. They also seek to maximise political freedom and autonomy emphasising individual judgement and self-ownership. Many Neo-Liberals or those on the new right could be characterised as Libertarian.

Question 31

What are the beliefs of Traditional Conservatives?

Answer 31

• Organic society
• Negative view of human nature
• Pragmatism (gradual change)
• Strong defence of country > international cooperation
• Law and order
• Preserve and respect institutions of power (monarchy, church, parliament, judiciary…)
• Noblesse oblige (duty of care)
• Love of tradition
• Hierarchy and authority

Question 32

What are the beliefs of One Nation Conservatives?

Answer 32

(Conservatism of 19th C PM Benjamin Disraeli who sought to redefine conservatism to appeal to the masses)

• Elites should not just have Noblesse Oblige, but should also embrace social reform and welfarism to improve conditions for working class and strengthen national unity (avoids revolution)
• Maintenance of traditional institutions
• Imperialism/national pride
• Keynesian economics often comes with ONC

Question 33

What are the beliefs of the New Right? What two sub-ideologies does the New Right contain?

Answer 33

Contains Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Conservatism

• Oppose Trad Cons and ONC’s belief in a cohesive society
• Individualism and freedom
• Free market, minimal state, individual freedom and personal responsibility
• Rejection of Keynesian economic theory (Keynes believed governments had the responsibility intervene in the economy, e.g. to reflate the economy post-depression)
• The New Right in modern era oppose COVID restriction extensions, e.g. MP Steve Baker always voted against restriction extensions
• Neo-Conservatives believe in traditional values, order and morality and this has made its way into the New Right, Neo-Cons believe society went wrong in the 60s when the contraceptive pill was introduced, homosexuality was legalised, abortion was legalised and divorce laws were loosened breaking down the family

Question 34

What are the beliefs of Neo-Liberalism?

Answer 34

• Two key economists: Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman
• Minimal state
• People are self reliant individuals capable of making rational interests in their own interest
• Selfishness and self interest provides individuals with incentives to work harder, be more creative and more productive
• Reject collectivism
• Want to eliminate all government intervention
• Nationalised monopolies have no profit or improvement incentive as there is no competition, privatisation is the way to go
• Tight control of money supply (less money = money has less value and less inflation = fewer strikes, more productivity and investment)

Question 35

What are the beliefs of Neo-Conservatism?

Answer 35

• Rejects socially liberal attitudes of the 1960s (contraceptive pill, abortion, homosexuality and divorce) and blames them for the breakdown of western society
• Minimal state
• Authority and discipline is moral and social matters
• Anti Permissiveness
• Rejection of multiculturalism as it divides society on racial and religious lines and threatens national unity
• Stronger law and order (More police powers, harsher sentences)
• Foreign policy: active pursuit and sometimes imposition of western style democracy around the world)

Republican party in US much more Neo-conservative than Tories in UK

Question 36

What is Thatcherism?

Answer 36

Essentially it is the combination of Neo-liberal economics and Neo-conservative social policy

Question 37

What are the Neo-Liberal features of Thatcherism?

Answer 37

• Monetarism= tight control of money supply to keep down infiltration and encourage investment (higher interest rates)
• Privatisation of state industries (e.g. British Airways, BT
• Deregulation of financial sector
• Restriction of trade union power

Question 38

What are the Neo-Conservative features of Thatcherism?

Answer 38

• Defence of traditional family values
• Strong law and order policies (especially against miners)
• Opposition to the promotion of homosexuality (section 28)
• Protection of public morality through strict censorship laws

Question 39

Which two US presidents contributed most to Neo-conservatism?

Answer 39

Ronald Reagan: during Cold War he called communist states “The Evil Empire” and split the world into ‘good states’ and ‘the axis of evil’ (Bush Jr copied Reagan in this respect). This world view became prominent on the American Right and saw US arms spending increase to protect the world from the axis of evil.

Woodrow Wilson: He made it his mission to make democracies in Europe after WW1. Later Neo-Cons like George Bush Jr took this further (Hard Wilsonianism) by using military force to enforce regime change to bring about Liberal Free Market economies, they attempted this in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Question 40

What are the key priorities of Neo-Conservatives and Neo-Liberals? How do they differ?

Answer 40

Similarities: Individualism, capitalism, minimal state

Differences: Neo-Liberal priorities are laissez faire economics (anti-Keynesian and would rather have unemployment than inflation), Neo-Conservative priorities are within morality and social issues (60s ruined society)

Question 41

What were Milton Friedman’s economics?

Answer 41

• Countries which are authoritarian (mainly communist) with little/no freedom lack ambitious people or reasons to take risks therefore there are far more poor people.
• Free market capitalist countries have incentives to take risks and be innovative and to start businesses because of the benefits it could bring for the individual, then wealth creates wealth as wealth trickles down.

Question 42

What is the flow chart of Neo-Liberal economics?

Answer 42

Government doesn’t interfere in the economy = Businesses have no regulation and can set their own rules = business owners get rich = use that wealth to expand their business = creates more jobs and subsequently more consumers as people have money to spend = consumers create a demand for goods and services and businesses produce these goods

More people employed, less taxes, more goods to match demand, everyone is suppose£y better off.