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Politics Paper 1 > Conservatism > Flashcards

Conservatism Flashcards

1
Q

Which key thinkers support pragmatism?

A

Burke
Oakeshott

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2
Q

Describe pragmatism

A
  • practicality
  • focusing on what works
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3
Q

What branches of Conservatism favour pragmatism?

A
  • Traditional
  • One Nation

New Right is a lot more ideological in their outlook

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4
Q

Pragmatism on change

A
  • against radical change
  • evolution not revolution
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5
Q

What does pragmatism entail a complete rejection of?

A
  • abstract ideas/theory/ideology
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6
Q

Give two pragmatism quotes

A

‘what counts is what works’
‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’

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7
Q

When did conservatism make a complete break from pragmatic conservatism?

A

1979 General Election
Thatcher’s ideological stance

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8
Q

What does pragmatism emphasise?

A

caution
moderation
continuity
stability

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9
Q

Principle of Tradition

A

accumulated wisdom of past societies, e.g. monarchy and parliament
favours customs and practises of the past

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10
Q

Root of Tradition

A

Religion

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11
Q

What does tradition enhance?

A

human security

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12
Q

Burke on Tradition

A

each generation has a duty to pass these traditions on to the next generational

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13
Q

Building blocks of society that should be passed down to our children:

A

institutions
monarchy
british constitution
nuclear family
marriage

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14
Q

What does destroying tradition lead to?

A

tyrannical regimes e.g. Soviet Russia and French Revolution

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15
Q

Example of todays conservative party favouring tradition

A

2/3 tories voted against same sex marriage in the house of commons

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16
Q

Conservative view of human nature

A
  • pessimistic
  • imperfect, insecure and limited
  • psychologically, morally and intellectually flawed
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17
Q

What do conservatives believe is needed to keep humans in check?

A
  • tougher stance on law and order
  • national security over international cooperation
  • self interest over altruism
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18
Q

What do conservatives believe will never keep humans in check?

A

idealistic or utopian political schemes such as ones based on fraternity or equality

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19
Q

What do conservatives believe is the only viable economic system?

A

capitalism as it human nature is essentially competitive and self interested

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20
Q

New Right on Human Nature

A

atomistic individualism means human beings are self reliant and rational in decision making
Rand and Nozick

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21
Q

What type of society does conservatism favour?

A

organic society

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22
Q

Define organic society

A

society operates like an organism
the whole is more than a collection of its individual parts

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23
Q

What makes up a organic society?

A
  • family
  • law and order
  • religion
  • institutions of power
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24
Q

What does an organic society enable?

A

stability

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25
Q

What is paternalism?

A

the idea that government should ‘parent’ their ‘children’ - governing their best interests

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26
Q

What is noblesse oblige?

A

those of a high rank/status have an obligation to rule

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27
Q

What is the disadvantage of paternalism?

A

it increases dependency

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28
Q

Which branch of conservatism rejects paternalism?

A

neo-liberals

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29
Q

Why do neo-liberals reject paternalism?

A
  • freedom should be valued above all else
  • paternalism increases dependency
  • paternalism stifles individual initiative
  • paternalism leads to economic stagnation
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30
Q

What is libertarianism?

A

the right of the individual to liberty

31
Q

What is libertarianism suspicious of?

A

authority and state power

32
Q

Neo-Liberalism

A

favours minimal state and elimination of government intervention

33
Q

Neo-Liberalism economic policy

A

laissez faire economics

34
Q

What branch of Conservatism supports neo liberalism?

A

the New Right (Thatcherism)

35
Q

What is neo conservatism?

A
  • authority and discipline in moral and social matters
36
Q

What does neo conservatism advocate?

A
  • increased police powers and harsher sentences
37
Q

Hobbes ‘Leviathan’

A

all obey government no matter how corrupt to avoid disaster and conflict

38
Q

Hobbes on Human Nature

A

humans are needy and vulnerable
humans are easily led astray

39
Q

Hobbes ‘State of Nature’

A

there was no authority in early human history
life was chaotic and brutal
authority and government is needed

40
Q

What were Burke’s main principles?

A
  • values tradition
  • change is needed with great caution to maintain an organic society
41
Q

What revolution did Burke support and why?

A

American Revolution
the aim was to protect ancient rights

42
Q

What revolution did Burke critique and why?

A

French Revolution
it was based on theory and idealism

43
Q

Burke on Human Nature

A

critical of individualism:
cannot rely on individual reason
can rely on tradition and custom

44
Q

What does Burke believe tradition and customs are naturally based on?

A

practical knowledge and evidence not theory
an organic society develops naturally

45
Q

Oakeshott on Human Nature

A

lack understanding of complex modern world

46
Q

Oakeshott on Society

A
  • modern society is unpredictable, therefore complex
  • society cannot be understood in abstract ideas/principles
47
Q

What approach is Oakeshott critical of?

A
  • rationalism
  • favours pragmatic and empirical approach
  • abstract ideas do not work
48
Q

Nozick on human nature

A

positive view
humans are rational who have the right to their own lives and liberties

49
Q

What value does Nozick believe is fundamental to conservatism?

A

liberty

50
Q

Nozick on the role of the state

A

minimal state
strictly limited to protection of person/property/contract

51
Q

What approach does Nozick favour?

A

individualism
we have self ownership of mind/body/abilities

52
Q

What was Ayn Rand’s main principle?

A

humans must pursue their own happiness as the highest moral aim

53
Q

Rand on Human Nature

A

rational and ethical egoism
rational selfishness

54
Q

Rand on role of the state

A

vital but limited

55
Q

What economy does Rand support and why?

A
  • free market capitalism
  • it protects the right of the individual whilst separating from state and economics
56
Q

Rand on Society

A
  • society doesn’t exist
  • atomism: we are a collection of individuals pursuing own happiness
57
Q

Three branches of Conservatism

A
  1. Traditional
  2. One Nation
  3. New Right
58
Q

How does human nature differ from traditional conservatism to new right conservatism?

A

traditional - pessimistic view, humans need guidance, humans are flawed

new right - humans are rational individuals who have the right to their own liberties

59
Q

Traditional Conservatism on the state

A

paternalism, natural hierarchy, born to rule

60
Q

One Nation on the state

A

states primary role is to preserve social order through welfare programmes, economic interventionism and the defence of traditional institutions and values (e.g. family and respect for authority)

61
Q

Neo Liberals on the state

A
  • rolling back the state
  • state intervention stifles economic initiative and growth
  • state intervention creates a dehabilitating dependency culture
62
Q

Neo Conservatives on the state

A
  • states role needs to be reduced
  • calls for ‘strong state’ which is based on increased police powers, tougher punishments and anti permissive policies to combat crime, anti-social behaviour and permissive attitudes
63
Q

One Nation on noblesse oblige

A
  • supports it
  • believes it can be developed to strengthen national unity
64
Q

Which branches of Conservatism support organic society?

A

Traditional
One Nation

65
Q

Which branches of Conservatism support noblesse oblige?

A

Traditional
One Nation

66
Q

Which branches of Conservatism support paternalism?

A

Traditional
One Nation

67
Q

Neo Liberalism on society

A
  • rejects assumptions that underpin organic society e.g. natural hierarchy and paternalism
  • view society as composed of independent and rational individuals operating within a free markert
68
Q

How does One Nation conservatism remove the possibility of revolution?

A

reforms to improve working conditions for working class
in order to offset the negative effects of laissez faire capitalism
forged an alliance between classes

69
Q

Who established One Nation conservatism?

A

Benjamin Disraeli
Sought to redefine conservatism
In order to appeal to the masses
Preserve institutions of power and the state

70
Q

New Right economic policy

A

monetarism
less money in circulation = more value of money
less inflation so less strikes
more productivity and more investment

71
Q

New Right on the state

A

should not intervene areas of private morality
state needed to be stripped back to the minimum

72
Q

Neo Liberal features of Thatcherism

A
  • monetarism
  • privatisation
  • deregulation of private sector
  • restricting trade union power
73
Q

Neo Conservative features of Thatcherism

A
  • defence of traditional family values
  • strong law and order
  • opposition to promotion of homosexuality
  • strict censorship laws

Politics Paper 1 (8 decks)

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