Conservatism Flashcards
What is hierarchy?
means by which members of society are stratified or layered relative to others. This may be based upon social class and occupation.
What is authority?
The idea that people in higher positions in society are beast bale to make decisions in the interest of wider society
What is change in order to conserve?
a core idea of conservatism which argues that society should adapt to changing circumstances rather than reject change outright and risk revolution or rebellion.
What is atomism?
the view that the main component of society is the individual (i.e. the ‘atom’), and that these individuals are self-interested, equal and rational.
What is noblesse oblige?
The duty of the wealthy and privileged to look after those who are less fortunate
What is anti-permissiveness?
The rejection of permissiveness which is the belief that people should make their own moral choices.
What does being radical mean?
Belief whose ideas favour drastic political, economic and social change
What is human imperfection?
A traditional conservative belief that humans are flawed in a number of ways which makes them incapable of making good decisions for themselves, rooted in original sin (eve eating the apple causing all humans to be born flawed and cannot be perfected)
What is laissez-faire?
A preference towards minimal government intervention in business and the state
What is empiricism?
Knowledge that comes from real experiences and not abstract theories
What is pragmatism?
A flexible approach to society with decisions made on the basis of what has worked in the past
