Conservatism Flashcards
Emphasis on continuity, respect for what is customary, suspicion of change (especially on a large scale), revolutionary change is systematic and violent.
Traditionalism
Skepticism about political knowledge. Some individuals can figure out how society and the state works, and use that knowledge to improve things. Wisdom from inherited institutions is better than presupposed knowledge.
Traditionalism
Organic conception of society and the state. Societies are living things, formed by social institutions.
Traditionalism
Individuals are not independent and autonomous. We can’t resist injustice. We are part of something living, larger, and entitled to respect.
Traditionalism
For rational justification of transparency, against superstition and tradition.
Liberals
Suspicious of reason, favor sentiment over scrutiny. We are emotional creatures, and we shouldn’t investigate too deeply. Don’t question.
Conservatives
Human beings are flawed. Against the idea of perfectibility of man.
Classical conservatives
There is a natural hierarchy. Against equality in a social/political sense because the natural hierarchy is justifiable and inevitable.
Classical conservatives
For small government, free market capitalism, the need for a strong military, and state imposition.
Contemporary conservatives
Unthinking man’s thinking man.
Edmund Burke
Was in favour of conciliation with the Americans instead of stubborn resistance, war and separation. Wanted to restores the colonies’ ancient liberties.
Edmund Burke
Most famous for his criticism of the French Revolution 1789 as a reckless attempt at radical social transformation.
Edmund Burke
He wanted to stop “the rock” from spreading.
Edmund Burke
Burke predicted what would happen when the rule of law broke down as a result of the revolution:
The church would be destroyed, the monarch would be executed, the Terror, order would be restored by a dictator, lawlessness and the desire for revenge
Burke was against the revolutionaries ideological views of:
Human nature, society, freedom, and government
Burke believed the humans are: instead of of rational self interested calculators of happiness.
Creatures of habit, custom, and tradition
True or false: Burke believed humans were perfectible but not changeable.
False. He believed we were neither. Social engineering is a liberal, radical, revolutionary project.
He referred to perfectibility by changing institutions as the “crooked timber of humanity”.
Kant
True or false: Burke emphasized the idea of the atomistic individual.
False. Burke was against this idea, and emphasized the isolation of individuals.
According to the conception of society, individuals are not free, independent, and autonomous, rather dependent on a web of relationships or the:
Organic, social fabric
He referred to the liberal legalistic business like the social contract as “harmful social fiction”
Burke
Society is not created by our: therefore, we should adapt to society, society shouldn’t adapt to us.
Consent
A sacred inter-generational covenant, otherwise known as a: can’t be met within a single generation. We owe to those before us, now, and those to come.
Partnership in all virtue
True or false: Burke thought that freedom was always good.
False. He argued that it depends on how we use it, based on what people are likely to do with it when they get it.
According to Burke, these were a dangerous, intellectual abstractions. Rights are concrete, ancient liberties that come from tradition,
Universal natural rights
Ordered liberty should act in accordance with: There are no natural rights anyone can follow without context.
Society’s laws and traditions
What is Burke’s modern definition of revolution?
Ongoing, violent, unpredictable transformation in which the whole society changes
Why did classical conservatives think revolution to be mistaken?
It tries to rip up social institutions by the roots and start anew. Any attempt to do so always leads to unforeseen consequences.
According to classical conservatives, reform is good if it is:
Careful, gradual, and recognizes the complexity of society
According to classical conservatives, political change always has to take place within this: like the American Revolution.
Tradition
Burke preferred this to abstract reason:
Prejudice, prejudgment
Burke suggested that each individual has a private stock of this: but this is only one small part of society’s larger bank and capital of ages.
Reason
Burke invented the modern idea of these: a boy of people united on a single view of the public interest, who has a view of the common good.
Political parties
According to Burke, government should have reflective, responsible representatives/trustees who prefer this above this. They owe their intelligence and wisdom.
Their own judgment, the people’s opinion
Burke believed in these: repositories of collective wisdom, secondary associations of the state like family and the church that made ordered liberty possible and helped people learn obedience.
Little platoons
Because Burke believed those with property have a stake in society, he naturally believed in the:
Natural aristocracy
True or false: Burke believed power should be concentrated in one place, and there is a natural ruling class in all.
False. He did believe there was a natural ruling class, but power should not be concentrated in one place.
Reactionaries appeal to the authority of God and the re-institution of:
Absolute monarchical power
De Maistre argued that we need to go back and recognize these two institutions:
The throne and the altar
According to De Maistre, if we do not recognize these two things necessary for society’s survival, we leave people with nothing to hold sacred; a recipe for disaster.
The monarchy and the Catholic church
De Maistre argued that people deserved whatever happened to them if they did this:
Questioned authority
He believed that authority should be absolute, mysterious, and terrifying.
De Maistre
According to De Maistre, authority appeals to: not our reason.
Our will