Conservatism Flashcards
Origins of Conservatism
The Enlightenment - a move torwards reason and progress, emphasis on individual righst and equality. If argued against would appera regressive and intolerant
The French Revolution - embraced the enlightenment by rejectin religious assumtpions and divine right -> by 1972 horrific consequences with beheading of King Louis XVI and many citizens. Made criticising liberalism easier as Conservatives could critixise progress without denying the enlightenment -> Conservatives recognised chnage but were wary of dangers of change i.e. beheadings
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Human Nature
Believe in ‘human imperfection’ which refers to many flaws of humanity that prohibits a perfect society
Argued by Hobbes who claims without formal authority, relations between people wuld be marked with ‘envy, hatred and war’
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Localism
See society as a set of localised communities, descirbed by Burke as ‘little platoons’
Provide people with security, status and inspiration
Broke up selfish individualism
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Organicism
Society can’t be constructed, it emerges gradually and organically
Human nature is determined by forces outside of our control (religion and god??) and grows like a plant -> cannot be predicted
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Empiricism
Societies issues are dealt with in a pratical fashion
Need society to stay afloat rather than move torwards a specific destination
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Tradition
Customs and habits provide security in an uncertain world
Changes need to be slow and not drastic -> against revolution
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Hierarchy
Hierarchy is natural and brings responsibility
People at the top of society have responsibilty to protext those at the bottom
Core beliefs of Conservatism: Society: Judeo-Christian Morality
Guides people ethically and emphasises marriage and the family -> creates stability
Religion binds people together and creates social solidarity
Core beliefs of Conservatism: The Economy
Defend capitalism and the inequality it creates. Burke was a large supporter of laissez-faire capitalism
Thatcherism is a mix between neo-liberal policy (privastisation and tax reduction) and neo-conservative policy (strengthened police power, curbs on immigration and tax cuts)
Core beliefs of Conservatism: The State: Order and Authority
State has a disciplinarian function to provide order and authority
Stern laws are in place and ‘natural rights’ are unrealistic, only the state can give people rights due to their ability to pass legislation
Core beliefs of Conservatism: The State: Organic Origins
Prefer a state that emerges gradually and organically. Hence why Conservatives prefer an uncodified constitution as change hapens regularly -> allows us to alter what we believe with ease
Core beliefs of Conservatism: The State: A Ruling Class
Trained to rule the state but have responsibility to care for the lower class
Favourable to them as it maintains traditional patterns of wealth
What is traditional conservatism?
Largey a rejection of the French Revolution. Edmund Burke (1729-97) pointed out mankind fails more often than it succeeds so was critical of the idealistic society represented by the French Revolution. Was also critical due to his beliefs of change being gradual and maintaining tradition
Who are the traditional conservatism key thinkers?
Edmund Burke
Thomas Hobbe
Traditional Conservatism: Conservatism IS a ruling class ideology
During the French Revolution those like Burke defended the aristocratic role
Conservatives regularly defend property, priviledge and inequality
Stress on tradition prevents chnage -> chnage threatens ruling-class interests
Traditional Conservatism: Conservatism ISN’T a ruling class ideology
Order should appeal to all in society
Maintenance of ‘one-nation’ is supposed to help interests of the poor
New-right conervatism is meritocratic -> celebrates succes of people from varying backgrounds
Traditional Conservatism: Change to conserve
Core conservative idea. Applied by many ‘enlightened tory’ governments in early 19th century -> they wanted to stop spread of revolutionary ideas by embracing moderate reform which maintains tradition and ‘status-quo’ i.e. George Canning prepared legilsation that allowed Romand Catholics to participate in parliament
Traditional Conservatism: The Emergence of the Tory Party
Burke and many others in the ruling class had a lot of interest in current society, which shaped the maintenance of tradition and the emerging tory party
Furthered by Robert Peel who harnessed the interest of the new business class and ensured their representation in the Representation of the People Act 1832
What is One-Nation Conservatism
Belief conservatism should prioritide nation unity by attending to societies poorer classes. Justifies greater state intervention in society and the economy and thus higher spending and taxation
Who are the One-Nation Conservatism key thinkers?
Benjamin Disraeli
Otto Von Bismark
One-Nation Conservatism: The emergence of the nation state
Conservative thinkers brough in the importance of social cohesion and orderly change to offset socialism and thinkers like Karl Marx
Nation state was to offset conflict
Conservatism holds belief socialist policy and Marx beliefs focus too heavily on conflict within society
What does One-Nationalism challenge?
Paternalism - the belief tht those highest in society (aristocracy) had responsibility to care for those lowest in society
What is Christian Democracy?
Same belief as traditional conservatism, Judeo-Christian Mortality, authority and hierarchy and also look to maintain tradition in the family marriage
Favoured State Managed Capitalism (Keynesian) economy, with high public spending and an expensive welfare state
What is New Right Conservatism?
A merged ideology of two distinct ideas: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism
New Right Conservatism: What is neo-liberalism?
The idea is to limit state involvement to create a free-market economy. Neo-liberals wish to see:
Reduced taxation
Tighter control on government spending
End to dependency culture
Privatisation of services
New Right Conservatism: What is neo-conservatism
Main concern is to restore authority, national identity and a society informed by Judeo-Christianity. Neo-conservatives wish to see:
Tougher approach to law and order -> more police power
More robust approach to nation defence
Less tolerance on immigration as they see it as a challenge to national identity
Promote traditional legislation regarding abortion, the family and sexuality
New-Right Conservatism: Conservatism IS compatible with capitalism
Both based on private property
Both generate inequality
Supprts tradition
Supports ruling class
New-Right Conservatism: Conservatism ISN’T compatible with capitalism
Capitalism is economic liberalisation
Capitalism threatens ‘one-nation’ as it tends to move torwards globalisation which erodes national identity
Capitalsim promotes meritocracy which challeneges hereditary ruling class and maintenance of wealth
Thomas Hobbes (traditional conservative) view on human nature?
Believes we are cynical, individual and selfish
We are driven by a selfish desivre for supremacy and security
Thomas Hobbes (traditional conservative) view on society?
Can only exist until a state brings order and authority to human affairs
We haev natural chaos from an absence of authority as everyone would be too different without guidance
Thomas Hobbes (traditional conservative) view on the state?
State arises contractually from those who seek order and authority
State of nature is one of pain and suffering without any order, if people realise this is non-benficial, they will opt for a proper state
Thomas Hobbes (traditional conservative) view on the economy?
Cannot achieve economic activity without state
Edmund Burke (traditional conservative) view on human nature?
Stressed tendancy of humans failing more than succeeding. Argued we were unable to achieve a utopia of society that the French Revolution wanted as we are more likely to fail than succeed
Edmund Burke (traditional conservative) view on society?
Socieity is organic and comprises of small communities and organisations - ‘mini-platoons’
Compares society and government to a plant and argues change should be cautious and organic to avoid problems like those of the French Revolution
Edmund Burke (traditional conservative) view on the state?
Should be aristocratic and serve the interest of all in society, those highest in society must fight for the interests of all
Edmund Burke (traditional conservative) view on the economy?
Should have organic free markets and embrace laissez-faire capitalism
Ayn Rand (new right conservative) view on human nature?
Objectivism: we, as people, are guided by self-interest and ‘rational self-fufolment’
Ayn Rand (new right conservative) view on society?
Society is just a sum of individuals all seeking self-fufilment and seperate from each other
Any attempt to restrict individuals should be challenged
Ayn Rand (new right conservative) view on the state?
State should confine itself to law and order and national security
Attempts to ‘positive liberty’ by state should be restricted
Ayn Rand (new right conservative) view on the economy?
Should embrace laissez-faire capitalsim -> embrace privatisation and tax cuts
Libertariansim: she defends free markets and the right to choose
Robert Nozick (new right conservative) view on human nature?
Humans are egotistical and driven by a quest of ‘self-ownership’ to realise their own potential
Robert Nozick (new right conservative) view on society?
Individuals should be left alone in economic and social spheres
Minarchist societies: society would be able to thrive in its own way without tax and present its own moral and value
Robert Nozick (new right conservative) view on the state?
Minarchist state: state should only renew and reallocate contracts to private companies that provide public services
Robert Nozick (new right conservative) view on the economy?
Staes should be independent from the economy and let a private econom thrive
Stop a dependency culture
Tensions with conservatism: Human Nature
Traditional conservatives: skeptical of human nature, idealistic society will fail due to overestimation of human potential
New Right: optimistic, positive view on what people can achieve. Need to foster a pro-capitalist environment where individual energies are unleashed
Tensions with conservatism in society
Trad: society is a collection of small communities overseen by hierarchal structures in which the elite protect the majority of society
New Right: ambivalent of societies existence, society is just a collection of individuals seeking self-determination. Society chould be meritocratic not aristocratic
Tensions with conservatism: The state
Trad: Should be pragamtic of enlargement
New Right: ‘roll back state involvement’ so to increase independence and reduce dependency. Fear ruling class and inequality
Tensions with conservatism: The economy
Trad: Sceptical of free-market capitalism as it threatens one nation and duels support for socialsim. Favour Keynesian economics whihc involves higher public spending and taxation
New Right: believe in free-market economies where state functions are privatised and deregulated, reducing taxation and spending
