Conservatism Flashcards
What is Change to Conserve
This is the fundamental principle of conservatism and one that distinguishes a conservative from a reactionary.
It indicated a belief that for something valuable to be preserved it has to be continuously updated and maintained.
What is Human imperfection
Drawing upon the Old Testament doctrine of original sin, this refers to the timeless flaws of humanity
Flaws which make any quest for the ‘perfect’ society misguided and potentially disastrous.
What is empiricism
This indicates a preference for ‘evidence’ over ‘theory’ and tends to emphasise ‘what is’ over ‘what it should be’
What is normative
This denotes how arrangements theoretically ‘should’ be in future
This is a term conservatives disdain, given their stress upon the uncertainty of our existence
What is Progressive
This denotes a belief that problems invariably have solutions and that the future must always be superior to the past and present
(This is linked to other ideologies like socialism and liberalism.)
What is Hierarchy
Equality of status and power is undesirable, that human affairs require leadership from a small number of individuals and that the majority should accept their judgements
Henchy’s apologists claim that successful structures, social and political tend to have an unequal distribution of power.
What Paternalism / Noblesse oblige
These terms refer to the ‘fatherly’ obligations that a ruling class or ‘nobility’ has to society as a whole. It can take the form of hard paternalism or soft paternalism
Hard - elites deciding what is best for the rest, irrespective of what the rest want
Soft - power still rests with the elites but decisions will usually be preceded by listening carefully to what the non-elites
What is Authority
Right for those in/with ‘authority’ to make decisions that others must accept
But conservatives, liberals and socialists there is serious disagreement about how authority should be acquired and for what purpose it should be exercised.
What is Laissez-Faire
Where the state allows market forces to operate freely. though strongly associated with economic liberalism,
Laissez-Faire economics has been supported by traditional conservatives like Edmund Burke and Robert Nozick
What is Thatcherism
Synonym for new right conservatism in the UK between 1979 and 1990, the governments of Margret Thatcher
Thatcher was a controversial mixture of Neo-Liberal policies (Such as privatisation and tax reduction)
Neo-conservative policies (e.g. strengthened police powers, curbs on immigration and tax breaks for ‘traditional’ family structure)
What does Tory mean
Along side the Whigs, they were one of the two main parties in England from the 17th to the early 19th century
They were linked to themes such as: Authority, Tradition, Hierarchy and religion.
in the 1830s the Tory party evolved into the Conservative party.
What is One-Nation Conservatism
Linked to British Politicians like Benjamin Disraeli in the 1870s, this denotes a belief that conservatism should prioritise national unity by attending to the condition of society’s poorer classes
Used to justify greater state intervention in society and the economy, thus higher levels of public spending and taxation
What is Fascism
Due to its nationalist and nostalgic character it gained popularity during times of economic and social depression like in Germany when Hitler came to power.
A from of ‘Ultra-Conservatism’
Yet its belief in radical and immediate change, its contempt for traditional institutions and local diversity, and its glorification of dictatorship also make it abhorrent to orthodox conservatives
What is Supranationalism
where a state whose authority cuts across national boundaries
e.g. Soviet Union, European Union.
What is Anti-permissive
Neo-Conservative policies to seek reversal of much of the social liberalism dating from the 1960s
Neo-Conservatism takes a critical view of issues like divorce abortion and homosexuality
What is Atomism
Relates to the view that human beings seek autonomy and ‘space’ which therefore leads to only vague sense of society. (New Right)
Thomas Hobbes Book Title
Leviathan 1651
Thomas Hobbes Context
Influenced by the English civil War
Considered one of England’s most important political thinkers
Leviathan 1651 - the ‘Leviathan’ was this big god like figure, seen as the state. The work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government. (Social contract theory)
Alive during the reformation, Protestant revolution across Europe
Thomas Hobbes view on Human Nature
Sceptical view of human nature. It was needy and vulnerable therefore likely to commit destructive acts.
Individuals are selfish, driven by a restless and ruthless desire for supremacy and security
Thomas Hobbes view on the State
Without a state the ‘state of nature was left to form his own version of acceptable and unacceptable conduct.
The state arises ‘contractually’ from individuals who seek order and security.
The state must be autocratic and the people must accept it and not revolt under any circumstances.
Tomas Hobbes view on Society
There can be no ‘society’ until the creation of a state which brings order and authority
Life is ‘Nasty, Brutish and short’ without a state
Hobbes theories on ‘State of Nature’
The state of nature was a place of scarce resources where individuals would be governed by a ruthless self-interest. Human nature was thus shaped by a restless desire for the acquisition of goods, an immovable distrust of others and a constant fear of death
There was never a real state of nature however this is what Hobbes though would happen if there is not state to promote order and security
Thomas Hobbes view on the Economy
There could not be a prosperous, constructive and enduring economy without a state ensuring order.
Edmund Burke Books (1729-97)
Reflections on the revolutions in France 1790
Edmund Bruke context
A Whig MP - Known as the Father of conservatism
Influenced heavily by the French Revolution 1789
A firm supporter of the American revolution 1776
Thinker coming out of the enlightenment period
Change to conserve - Empiricism and tradition rather than theory and idealism.
Edmund Burke’s view on human nature
Took a sceptical view of human nature, Humans were capable of doing good things however have a tendency to fail more then they succeed. We may conceive of perfection but are unable to achieve it
This is why he denounced the French Revolution as it was based of a perfect society and irrational Utopian thought and theory
Praised the 1776 American Revolutionary War as the idea of a rational constitution, and the idea of taxation without representation did not sit well with him
Edmund Burke’s view on the state
(Organicism) The state arises organically and should be aristocratic.
A ruling class was inevitable and desirable, however this class had a clear obligation to govern in the interest of all (Utilitarianism)
The French’s Aristocracy’s inability to do this was the reason for the revolution.
Edmund Burke’s view on Society
Society is organic, A ruling class is inevitable.
A society of ‘little platoons’ - loads of small, diverse and largely autonomous communities which would
‘Acknowledge, Nurture and prune… the crooked timber of humanity’
Edmund Burke’s view on the economy
A massive advocate of Adam smith’s call for free trade.
Trade should involve ‘organic’ free markets and Laissez-Faire capitalism
Micheal Oakeshott Books (1901-90)
On Being Conservative 1962
The politics of faith and the politics of scepticism
Michael Oakeshott view on Human nature
Men and women were ‘fallible but not terrible’ and ‘imperfect but not immoral’, though incapable of ‘perfect’ societies
At best when free from grand designs and when focused on the routines of everyday life.
Micheal Oakeshott view on The state
The state should be guided by tradition and practical concerns .
Pragmatism not dogmatism
Dogmatism - giving opinions and thought without consideration of evidence or the option of others.
During our lives ‘we all sail a boundless sea, with no appointed destination; and that the job of government is to reflect this by ‘keeping the ship afloat at all costs… using experience to negotiate every storm, stoicism to accept necessary changes of direction… and not fitting on a port that may not exist.’
Micheal Oakeshott view on society
Localised communities are essential to humanities survival especially when guided by short-term requirements rather than abstract ideas.
Micheal Oakeshott view on the Economy
Free markets are volatile and unpredictable and may require pragmatic moderation by the state.
The state is there to ‘prevent the bad rather than create the good’
Ayn Rand Book titles (1905-82)
Atlas Shrugged 1957
The virtue of Selfishness 1964
Ayn Rand Context
Born in Russia was young during the Russian revolution. Moved to America.
one of Americas most influential Libertarian
Ayn Rand’s view on Human nature
‘Objectivist’ we are to be guided by rational self-interest and the pursuit of self fulfilment
like her book ‘The virtue of Selfishness’
Ayn Rand’s view on The state
‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’.
rand called herself a libertarian - defended an individuals ‘right to chose’ in areas like homosexuality or abortion.
rejected Anarchism claiming cultural laissez-faire needed the parameters of a small state
liberty was impossible without order and security, which only a state could provide
Ayn Rand’s view on society
Society was just a loose collection of independent individualism.
Society is Atomistic - Human beings seek autonomy and space, which therefore leads to only a vague sense of society
millions of autonomous individuals, each independently seeking self-fulfilment and self realisation.
Ayn Rand’s view on the economy.
laissez-faire brand of capitalism and its renewal of negative liberty
free market capitalism is an expression of ‘objectivist individualism and should not be hindered by the state.
Robert Nozick Book Titles (1923-2002)
Anarchy State and Utopia 1974
The road To Serfdom 1944
Robert Nozick context
Writings in the 1970s emerged as one of the key thinkers for new right conservatism
Taxation is theft
Nozick’s view on Human nature
Humans are driven by a quest for ‘self ownership’, so they can retaliate their full potential
The growth of welfare states in western rope fostered a dependency culture
Nozicks view on the state
The minarchist state should outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services
