Conservatism

Question 1

What is the conservative belief about human imperfection?

Answer 1

all humans are flawed and incapable of making good decisions for themseleves

Question 2

What are the three types of imperfection?

Answer 2

morally - humans have a selfish streak which needs to be controlled (believed by all)
intellectually - we cannot possibly fully understand the complex world and by trying to make radical change we risk making things worse (believed by TCs and ONCs)
psychologically - we fear the unknown so prefer stability (believed by TCs and ONCs)

Question 3

What do neo-liberals diagree with on human imperfection?

Answer 3

humans are intellectually capable of making rational economic choices and therefore should be left alone
we are also able to cope with radical changes caused by the free market

Question 4

What is tradition?

Answer 4

traditions are practices passed down from previous generations

Question 5

Why is tradition important to society?

Answer 5

intellectually imp - we are better sticking to tried and tested methods
morally - if we start morally experimenting we will make wrong moral choices
psychologically - tradition creates social stability

Question 6

What do conservatives disagree with about tradition?

Answer 6

TCs and ONCs allow only very gradual organic change while new right support free markets which can rapidly put traditional lifestyles out of business

Question 7

What do TCs and ONCs believe about organic society?

Answer 7

society is like an organism with a delicate relationship where some parts naturally lead and some naturally follow and each part has developed out of natural necessity
- There is a natural fixed hierarchy

Question 8

What does the New Right say about organic society?

Answer 8

There is no such thing as society - individuals are independent and should be free to rise and fall freely in a meritocracy

Question 9

What do all conservatives agree over with organic society?

Answer 9

authority is vital in any stable society and naturally develops and is rightly imposed upon humans

Question 10

What is pragmatism?

Answer 10

A practical way of thinking that is flexible on focuses on what works that is realistic

Question 11

Which strands are typically more pragmatic

Answer 11

TCs and ONCs - they pursue gradual changes in order to conserve traditions
New Right - less pragmatic Thatcher was idealistically determined to continue her free market reforms

Question 12

What is paternalism?

Answer 12

caring power exerted from above by the state that governs in the interests of the people

Question 13

What do conservatives generally believe about paternalism

Answer 13

the state knows best so the people must do what they are told in ethical matters

Question 14

What do conservatives disagree with over paternalism?

Answer 14

ONCs - there is an obligation on the wealthy to look after those who are unable to look after themselves
New right - the less well off should not reply upon the state and isntead should learn to stand on their own two feet.

Question 15

What does libertarianism mean?

Answer 15

the belief that negative liberty is the most important value

Question 16

What do all conservatives agree about libertarianism?

Answer 16

the state should give freedom over economic choices - the free market is natural and disciplines workers

Question 17

What do conservatives disagree about libertarianism?

Answer 17

TCs - the state has some role to play in regulating the economy
New Right - laissez faire economy is the best version and government should deregulate and privitise

Question 18

What are the features of traditional conservatives?

Answer 18

committed to social hierarchy that is fixed so the ruling class must care for the lower classes - noblesse oblige - in a paternalistic way
exp. Joseph de Maistre and Edmund Burke

Question 19

What are the features of one nation conservatives?

Answer 19

valued ownership of private property but were concerned by the wideneing gap between the rick and the poor - the rich have an obligation to look after the poor
exp. Benjamin Disraeli and Harold Macmillian

Question 20

What are the features of the new right

Answer 20

neo conservatism - strict approach to morality and law, opposed the permissiveness of the 1960s, concerned with the fear of social breakdown, strict traditional and public morality
neo liberalism - free market economics, society is a collection of individuals, opposed kenyesianism, opposed state welfare, minimal state with low taxes, supported rapid privitisation

Question 21

What does Hobbes believe about society?

Answer 21

without order we live in a state of nature which is nasty and brutish - the only way out of this chaos is for humans to agree to live under a government

Question 22

What is human nature according to Hobbes?

Answer 22

needy and vulnerable - we should try and build reputations to ward other away from challenging us
easily led astray in their attempts to understand the world around them
greedy for power

Question 23

What did Burke say was wrong with the French revolution?

Answer 23

it tried to undertake radical changge based on abstract principles - we should stick to tried and tested measures - empiricism

Question 24

What does Burke believe about tradition?

Answer 24

we should stick to tried and tested practices passed down for generations should be rejected as these are wise decisions

Question 25

What is Burke’s exceptions about change?

Answer 25

it is good if it is gradual and organic rather than outright rebellion

Question 26

What does Oakeshott believe about human intelligence?

Answer 26

society is unpredicatble and humans are intellectually limited so when we are considering change there is a high chance we will make it worse

Question 27

What is Oakeshotts key idea?

Answer 27

pragmatism - going with what works with slow gradual change

Question 28

What was Ayn Rand’s theory of objectivism?

Answer 28

argues for the moral virtue of rational self interest - pursue your own happiness

Question 29

What are the features of Rand’s thinking?

Answer 29

each individual needs to live according to reason and pursue their own self interest free from external interference, laissez faire capitalist economy

Question 30

Why did Rand like laissez faire capitalism?

Answer 30

respects the pursuit of rational self interest and is consistent with the non aggression principle

Question 31

What is Nozicks main belief?

Answer 31

individuals cannot be treated as a thing or used against their will and have rights to reward their own labour

Question 32

What did Nozick believe about self ownership?

Answer 32

each individual owns their own body, talents, abilites and labour - taxes and welfare are therefore unfair