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Politics Paper 3 > Conservatism > Flashcards

Conservatism Flashcards

1
Q

Who are the 5 key thinkers

A

-Thomas Hobbes
-Edmund Burke
-Michael oakeshott
-Ayn rand
-Robert nozick

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2
Q

4 key views

A

Human nature
The state
Society
Economy

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3
Q

Thomas Hobbes famous quotes

A

‘Life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’
‘Promises without sword are just words’

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4
Q

Edmund Burke famous quotes

A

‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’
‘Society is a contract between the dead, the living, and those yet to be born’

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5
Q

Michael oakeshott key quotes

A

‘The conjunction of ruling and dreaming generates tyranny’
‘Conservatism is a conversation not an argument’

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6
Q

Ayn Rand famous quotes

A

‘The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be the defenders of minorities’
‘Money is the barometer of a society’s virtues’

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7
Q

Robert nozicks famous quotes

A

‘No state more extensive than the minimum state can ever be justified’
‘Taxation of earnings from labour is on par with forced labour’
‘Any attempts at wealth redistribution is socially legitimised theft’

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8
Q

Thomas Hobbes

A

If left to their own devices human beings would naturally commit atrocities on each other
You must have a strong, brutal state and government able to manage flawed human beings
The state is justified in using coercion, force and violence to control us

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9
Q

Edmund Burke

A

Supported American colonists in the American revolution against the British crown
Horrified by French Revolution specifically rejection of monarchy

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10
Q

Michael oakeshott

A

Importance of tradition as a unifying force
Anti ideological
Believed in rationalism
Compared the state to a ship at sea - most important is to keep ship afloat not arrive at destination

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11
Q

Ayn Rand

A

Opposed to most aspects of state/govt
Promotes selfishness as a worthwhile value - said it made rational and ethical sense
Believed in complete right of individual over the state
True value of any society was how much wealth it produced

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12
Q

Robert nozick

A

Believed in small state govt
The only role of state should be to protect us from internal/external harm/threat
Compared taxation to forced labour
Compared wealth redistribution to theft

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13
Q

4 key values - Thomas Hobbes

A

Human nature: humans are driven by desire for power and without order life would be short and unpleasant

State: the state is necessary to impose order and prevent chaos

Society: the need for a strong, centralised authority to maintain peace

Economy:

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14
Q

4 key values - Edmund Burke

A

Human nature: humans are imperfect and need to recognise their limitations

State: the state is a partnership between past present and future generations-traditions and institutions should be preserved

Society: a ‘natural aristocracy’ should guide society emphasising the importance of family and local community ‘little platoons’

Economy: advocates for stability and caution against radical change

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15
Q

4 key values - Michael oakeshott

A

Human nature: conservatism is a conversation about human limitations not ideological struggle

State: the state should be a tool for ongoing dialogue and adaptation

Society: conservatism is kore about maintaining practical order than ideological welfare

Economy:

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16
Q

4 key values - Robert nozick

A

Human nature: emphasises individual rights and freedom

State: the states role should be minimal, limited to protection of individual rights

Society: people should have the freedom to pursue their own interests without state interference

Economy: a free market economy is preferable with minimal govt interference

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17
Q

Thomas Hobbes provenance - leviathan

A

-written during English civil war, it argues for social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign
- he wrote that the ‘war of all against all’ could be avoided only by a strong undivided govt

18
Q

Edmund Burke provenance

A

-Reflections of revolution in France (best intellectual attacks against French Revolution)
-conservative intellectuals recast Burkes arguments as a critique of state socialism/marxism
-apprehensive of enlightenment

19
Q

Michael oakeshott provenance

A

-one nation supporter as he supporter conservative PM Harold McMillan
- defending post war consensus
-detested the rise of Marxism
-his work always argues against extremism

20
Q

Ayn rand - povenance

A

-Despises socialism and comminism because of her background
-critical of =FDRs new deal
-encouraged resistance to the growing power of govt
-atheist despite born to a Jewish family

21
Q

Robert nozick provenance

A

-criticised liberal thinker john Rawls ‘theory of justice’ in his direct response by his book anarchy state and utopia
-writing In the time of the breakdown of new deal consensus in us and post war consensus uk
-writing at peak of Cold War - socialism unpopular and associated with ussr
Influenced by new right economists, moncur Olsen

22
Q

Hobbes - economy

A

Constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security

23
Q

Edmund Burke - economy

A

Trade should involve ‘organic’ free markets and laissez-faire capitalism

24
Q

Michael oakeshott - economy

A

Free markets are volatile and unpredictable and may require pragmatic moderation by the state

25
Q

Ayn rand - economy

A

Free market capitalism is an expression of ‘objectivist’ individualism and should not be hindered by the state

26
Q

Robert nozick - economy

A

The minarchist state should detach itself from a privatised and deregulated economy, merely arbitrating disputes between private economic organisations

27
Q

Hobbes - society

A

There can be no society until the creation of state brings order and authority to human affairs - life until then is nasty brutish and short

28
Q

Edmund Burke - society

A

Society is organic and multi-faceted comprising a host of small communities and organisations (little platoons)

29
Q

Michael oakeshott - society

A

Localised communities are essential to o humanity’s survival especially when guided by short term requirements rather than abstract ideas

30
Q

Ayn rand - society

A

Society does not exist in any practical form it was ideally just a loose collection of independent individuals- atomistic

31
Q

Robert nozick - society

A

Society should be geared to individual self fulfilment

32
Q

Hobbes - human nature

A

Humans are needy and vulnerable people will compete violently to get the basics necessities of life and other material gains, will challenge others and fight out of fear to ensure their personal safety

33
Q

Edmund Burke - human nature

A

Sceptical - the crooked timber of humanity is marked by a gap between aspiration and achievements we may conceive of perfection but we are unable to achieve it

34
Q

Michael oakeshott - human nature

A

Most men and women are fallible but not terrible and imperfect but not immoral

35
Q

Ayn rand - human nature

A

Objectivist - we are ands ought to be guided by rational self interest and the pursuit of self fulfilment

36
Q

Robert nozick - human nature

A

Egotistical - individuals are driven my a quest for self ownership allowing them to realise their full potential

37
Q

Hobbes - state

A

The state arises contractually from individuals who seek order and security to serve its purpose - state must be autocratic and awesome

38
Q

Edmund Burke - state

A

The state arises organically and should be aristocratic driven by hereditary elites - reared to rule in the interests of all

39
Q

Oakeshott - state

A

The state should be guided by tradition and practical concerns pragmatism not dogmatism - should be its watch word

40
Q

Ayn rand - state

A

The state should confine itself to law order and national security - any attempt to promote positive liberty via further state intervention should be resisted. Small state is strong state

41
Q

Robert nozick - state

A

The minarchist or right watch man state should merely outsource , renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services. The growth of govt was the gravest contemporary threat to individual freedom

Politics Paper 3 (4 decks)

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