Conservatism Flashcards
what is the traditional conservative view of society?
as if it was an organism/living thing
an organic societu is one in which is more than a collection of its individual parts
any attempt to reform these relationship or abolish the parts constitutes a profound threat to society and would likely destroy the delicate fabric of society
thus creates a radical social breakdown
the individual can’t be desperate from society but is part of the group that nurtured them
this reflect the dependent and security seeking tendency of people
Conservative opinion of monarchy?
Ideologies social change come and go but monarchy endured in its traditional form the people will retain a sense of security and continuity
They take a similar view of traditional morality based around the family
This helps each new generation hold on to a lasting set of values in an ever changing world, this gives them a sense of security which will be passed on to next generation
how have conservatives defended authority as it is a source of support and guidance?
Supports and guides people who don’t know what’s good for them
eg poorly educated or children
Authority naturally arises from above
Rooted in nature of society and all social institutions
Linked to paternalism
how did Thatcher and New Right oppose traditional conservatism?
society is made up of free individuals; it is not organic
excessive interference by the state is counterproductive, holds back economic progress and inhibits the development of a sense of self responsibility
traditional institutions may be challenged if they can be shown to be holding back progress
conservative paternalism denies the individual spirit of enterprise and self responsibility so should be curbed
individuals prefer to be granted freedom rather than rely upon state support
why have conservatives supported tradition and continuity due to historical factors?
It has been tried and tested by history
having proved it’s value to larger society by its capacity to survive: functionalist perspective
in this view traditions are more reliable than abstract theories as guides to action as they encompass the accumulated wisdom of the past: best aspects of past societies
thus it would be irresponsible to reject them for the sake of ideological principle or abstract theory
any attempt to do so is fraught with danger
“democracy of the dead” GK Chesterton
“partnership between those who are living those who are dead and those who are yet to be born” burke
for example the monarchy embodies historical wisdom and experience in asserting natural loyalty and respect above party politics
why do conservatives justify social hierarchy on the basis of duty and responsibility?
social hierarchies are desirable as they encourage duty and responsibility
noblesse oblige
a pursuit of social equality would be unachievable and undesirable
why do conservatives justify social hierarchy on the basis of social stability?
A governing class helps to maintain respect for authority and law and order supporting social stability
how are Conservatives pragmatic?
Political action should NOT be the result of conflict over political dogmas and theories
It should be the result of a more gentle relationship between government and governed
Engage in a relationship with the people that would allow him or her to reach decisions based on the intimations and traditions of community
what is organic society
A belief which became entrenched in traditional conservative thought in the late 19th century
Society is merely s collection of free individuals but is a a single entity like a living organism
we are connected through humanity and common membership of the same community
ideally goals and aspirations of individuals will coincide with the goals of the society as whole
privatisation
the transfer of state assets from the public to the private sector
reflecting a contraction of the states responsibilitiies
How have the conservatives justified private property due to personal identity?
Property can be seen as the exteriorisation of personal identity
“home is your castle”
like conformity in society, but private property express personality
Property is a source of personal satisfaction and emotional well-being as opposed to merely external objects, valued because they are useful
eg right to buy scheme by thatcher, don’t have to fall in line with local authorities, can organised and decorate property as you want
example of the conservative commitment to private property?
1980s announced right to buy scheme
tenants in council owned housing would be given the opportunity to purchase their own homes on preferential terms
owning property have people a stake in society promoting social responsibility
how have conservatives defended authority as it is a source of security and guidance?
authority is a guiding hand
It allows individuals to know where they stand and what is expected of them
need authority as we want to be led (seek refuge)
authority arises naturally from above similar to a parent child relationship
view that humans are naturally flawed as they are psychologically limited - security seeking and fearing isolation and instability
“boundless and bottomless world”
authority counters rootlessness and anomie
main elements of contemporary US conservatism
a religious and moralistic attitude to social issues
opposition to socially progressive ideas
deep suspicion of centralised state power
an attachment to pluralist decentralised democracy
classical liberal economic views
fixed view of US culture and it’s superiorit
Desire to speed US values and influence globally
A view that democracy is a core value that should be widely exported and applied
how has modern british conservatism ignored tradition?
since the 1980s
It had embraced new social theories :
economic modernism,
privatisation and
opposition to the dependency culture,
they have attacked some traditional institutions
eg civil service, church of england, legal establishment
however still resistant to excessive social reform
How have the conservatives justified private property as it gives people a stake in society?
It promotes social values
Responsibility
Respect for law and the property of others
This people are encouraged to be law abiding and support authority
By strengthening social cohesion, property thus counters the tendency towards anarchy and base self interest
as private property promotes an inter-generational links as it can be passed down between generations - promoting responsibility and a sense of duty
For example, Macmillan criticises Thatcher for selling off the family silver – privatising her nationalised inheritance.
why do conservatives support one nation principles on a moral basis?
The wealthy and powerful owe their social position (to a degree) an accident of birth
this implies both that a high social position entails social duties, notably those linked to ameliorating poverty and supporting the disadvantaged
the poor are deserving in the sense they are not there architects of their own misfortune
so they can’t rectify their poverty through simple work and self help
Paternalism
The concept suggests that those who govern claim superior knowledge and judgment over those who are governed
Rulers believe that they understand what is good for the people more than the people themselves
Derived from the model of parent and child
Adopted by Peel and Disraeli adopted this approach
property
the ownership of physical goods or wealth
whether by private individuals groups of poeple or the state
how does the conservative view of hierarchy interact with organic society?
traditional conservatives believe that is s natural order which each individual fits
it’s normal and natural that society is divided into a number of strays
hierarchy supports organic society as it creates order and stability that individualism lacks
thus there is ordered inequality and one who is at the upper levels of hierarchy are expected to take responsibility for the welfare of lower orders
noblesse oblige
on what grounds do conservatives justify social hierarchy?
inevitable
duty and responsibility
social stability
why have conservatives supported tradition and continuity due to psychological factors?
Established customs are psychologically reassuring, generating a sense of stability and belonging precisely because they are familiar.
It generates social cohesion by linking people to a common past, providing them with a collective sense of who they are.
This thus provides people with a feeling of rootedness and belonging, all the stronger because it is historically based – combats “rootless anomie”: nationality
Without tradition, there would be a ‘journey into the unknown’, with insecurity and uncertainty, endangering happiness.
Tradition is thus more than effective political institutions, it encompasses familiarity and belonging;
from traditional colours of letterboxes or telephone boxes to the judiciary’s insistence on wearing traditional robes and wigs.
why do neoliberals support a minimal state?
First, ‘rolling back’ the state unleashes the dynamism of the market, offering the prospect of prosperity for all by removing the ‘dead hand’ of the state from the economy – the supply of goods and services is reconciled by demand for them.
Resources are therefore allocated to their most profitable use and ensure consumer needs are satisfied.
Second, it has moral benefits in that it widens individual freedom and strengthening personal responsibility. Individuals are encouraged to be self-reliant and make rational choices in their own interests.
The market then acts as a mechanism through which the sum of individual choices leads to progress and general benefit.
neoconservatism
a modern version of social conservatism that emphasises the need to
restore order and authority
eg reagan’s war on drugs that herd hardline policing to riots
traditional o family values eg victorian values
to revitalise nationalism eg thatchers faulklands war
what key conservatives adopted a paternalistic approach to politics?
Peel and Disraeli
improved working and living conditions for working classes
why do conservatives justify social hierarchy on the basis of them being inevitable?
Hierarchies are an essential feature of organic societies
Edmund Burke developed the idea of a natural aristocracy
Conservatives have been strong supporters of the monarchy which embodied a natural social hierarchy
individuals have different characteristics and talents
on what grounds have conservatives defended authority?
support and guidance
order and discipline
natural and desirable
Burke quote on tradition and preservation?
No generation should ever be so rash as to consider itself superior to its predecessors
Reflections on the Revolution
on what grounds have conservatives supported tradition and continuity?
historical factors
creates stability
religious factors
how and why have conservatives justified private property?
source of security
gives people a stake in society
personal identity
individual merit
describe neoconservatism?
modern version of social conservatism that emphasised the need to restore order, return to traditional or family values or revitalise nationalism
How have the conservatives justified private property based on source of security?
- property is regarded as something to fall back on particularly in times of economic difficulty
- ownership of a house or savings in a bank provide the individual with protection
- belief that people are psychologically dependent and thirst for security due to human nature
- refuge, physical belonging, emotional shelter
why do conservatives support paternalism based on practicality?
The discharging of paternal obligations helps to bind a hierarchical society together
Preventing the poor from being so poor that they become a threat to the established order and its institutions
political elite preserve status reduced anger
disraeli writing in the time of european revolutions and domestic revolution that are violent in the chartists newport south wales revolt
why do conservatives support paternalism based on morality?
Traditional conservatives believe wealth and social position are largely acquired through the accident of birth
the privileged have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate than themselves noblesse oblige duty is the price of privilege noblesse oblige feudal tradition
this implies the poor are deserving of support because they are not architects of their misfortune
authority
the right to exert influence over others by virtue of an acknowledged in bligation to obey
what is the traditional conservative and new right view of natural hierarchy and authority?
This is an essential component of maintaining social order
the new right are more likely to promote inequLities based on merit
and question natural sources of inequality
why have conservatives supported tradition and continuity due to religious reasons?
Burke’s idea that inherited practices and institutions are ‘God given’.
the world was created and designed by God, society was shaped by the ‘law of our Creator’ (natural law: Burke).
if tradition is ignored and humans tamper with the world, they are challenging the will of god, making human affairs work.
18th century belief – since manmade universal suffrage and free elections, historical change accelerated.
This was a conservative idea advanced during and before the 18th century; since them, historical change has been drastic with old traditions being replaced by new ones – e.g. free elections and universal suffrage – that are clearly man made.
tradition
values practices or institutions that endured through time and in particular passed down from one generation to the next - inherited
established continuity between present generations, past generations and future generations
what key thinkers support order and authority?
Hobbes
Burke (in Revolutions in France)
Margaret Thatcher
what is the neoconservative view of the state?
support for a strong state
that had an influence that extends clearly into the social and moral realms
they believe that the state should be strengthened
natural aristocracy is
the idea that talent and leadership are innate or inbred qualities that can’t be acquired theory go effort or self achievement
paternalism
refers to the exercise power or authority being exercised over others with the intention of conferring benefit or preventing harm
acting in a fatherly fashion
most well associated with the one nation conservative tradition
new right
an ideology trend within conservatism
that embraces a blend of market individualism and social authoritarianism
Macmillan’s pragmatism
He continued welfarism from Labour and advanced the mixed economy, as well as labour spending commitments - despite the party being principally opposed.
For example, the establishment of the Childs Special Allowance for the children of divorced parents.
Macmillan was aware of the public popularity of the large state and realised that adopting this guaranteed electoral success.
Empire let go, despite the fact the Conservatives had always been the “party of empire”.
Macmillan noted the lack of public interest in colonised countries and the expensive and bloody events that were occurring.
Overall, most significant to Macmillan was that granting decolonisation would not hurt him electorally, as well as making social and economic sense.
what do conservatives think about inequality?
18th century
the idea that humankind is naturally divided into hierarchy - born in unequal circumstances - natural and inevitable
19th/20th century
It was becoming clear that society was more fluid than it had ever been and that people had begun to view themselves as individuals rather than members of a social clsss
1980s
had abandoned their views that individuals are unequal in terms of their abilities and potentialities
on what grounds do conservatives support paternalism?
Morally: social responsibility, noblesse oblige, feudal tradition of squire looking after presents
Practically: risk of revolt, small compromise and reform, reduced anger, political elite preserve status
eg after Chartists violent revolution in newport, south wales shaped disrealis paternalistic philosophy
conservative tradition and preservation quote?
EDMUND BURKE
REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE
“a partnership between those who are living those who are dead and those who are to be born”
[on society]
what is the New Right view of society?
this is a highly atomistic theory of society
influenced by neoliberalism
society is a product of action of self seeking and largely self reliant individuals
thatchers “there is no such thing as society”
this implies individuals should be given the greatest possible scope to make their own moral decisions and accept consequences
organicism
a belief that society operates like an organism or living entity
the whole being more than a collection of its individual parts
economic liberalism
a belief in the market as a self regulating mechanism that tends naturally to deliver general prosperity and opportunities or all
what do conservatives mean by the term ‘organic society’
that society is organic in character
so exhibits traits associated with living organisms
societies are a complex network of relationships that ultimately exist to maintain the whole - being more important than is individual parts
opposes socialist view of society as a mechanism that can be dismantled
property
the ownership of physical goods or wealth
whether by private individuals groups of people or the state
how have conservatives defended authority as it is a source of public order and discipline?
Authority, backed up by a system of punishments, is the only effective guarantee of public order and discipline, protecting society from the forces of lawlessness and anarchy.
Seen in 1980s under Thatcher’s government (longer prison sentences, harsher punishments).
This is by virtue of its capacity to constrain baser human urges and instincts – people are morally flawed, naturally selfish, greedy and aggressive; HOBBES: “power after power”; original sin.
Crime, anti-social behaviour and delinquency – we have a tendency to want to carry them out; authority frightens us out of doing this and punishes us when it happens. Thatcher and Reagan enthusiastically increased police power and extended prison sentences.
Authoritarian conservatives, who prioritise order over all other values, therefore portray authority as absolute and unquestionable: Franco, Russian tsars.
Obedience to authority is a moral and social duty we all have to uphold – there can be no challenge or counter.
modern conservative pragmatism
David Cameron on same sex marriage
Traditionally opposed to LGBT Rights, Section 28 under Thatcher
Cameron himself voted against same sex adoption rights in 2002
Urged Conservative Mps to support gay marriage, passed in 2013 under Cameron
HOWEVER two cabinet ministers and cornerstone group firmly rejected
example of how thatcher acted on economic principle?
Thatcher pursued a systematic and comprehensive program of privatisation, inspired by the free market economics of Adam Smith and Fredrick Hayek – to the extent it is rumoured she carried “the road to serfdom” in her handbag.
Thatcher employed this in the deregulation of the city of London – the Big Bang 1986. The privatisation of previously nationalised industries (steel, coal, iron), and the removal of subsidised industry meant a significant rise in unemployment in certain sectors, notably mining. I
n the background of this unemployment, and growing public dissatisfaction, Thatcher try to compromise. Instead, she chose to antagonize – calling Arthur Scargill, leader of the miners strikes “the enemy within”
pragmatism quote
the wise conservative travels light
change in order to conserve
example of how thatcher acted on social principle?
people in the swinging 60s believed it was right to decriminalise homosexuality and abortion, brought about a consensus in society; growing minority cultures and alternative lifestyles
Instead of ‘travelling light’ like a ‘wise conservative’, Thatcher chose to reject these social developments in society, seeking a reversion back to the nuclear family, national patriotism etc: victorian values
Most notably, Thatcher passed Section 28 of the Local Government Act preventing the promotion of homosexuality.
This is exacerbated by the growing AIDS epidemic, which was arguably not aided by social hostility at the time.
how have one nation conservatives been pragmatic
economic inequalities, Britan was in danger of becoming two nations: the rich and the poor.
Drawing on the principle of ‘noblesse oblige’, Disraeli argued that offering the poor better standards of living and more rights, the poor are prevented from becoming so poor that they rise up against the ruling class.
Disraeli therefore passed the Factory Act 1833, quelling the violent insurrection of the Chartists in the 1830s.
Also, the Second Reform Act, new dwellings for poor, slum clearance.
This shows a pragmatic willingness to introduce policy previously not supported by the ‘party of the landed gentry’.
where was conservative pragmatism founded
Burke’s idea of “change in order to conserve” – that in order to prevent a revolution, much like those sweeping Europe (most famously the French Revolution), piecemeal change should be offered as an antidote.
Burke argued a truly efficient leader is flexible in their approach, not blindly resistant to change; in this way a state without the means of change will always collapse.
He wanted to see the continuation of the monarchy and the established order but recognised there was no hope of doing so if the ruling class remained indifferent to the plight of the poor, and unwilling to curb excessive expenses.
Thus, the ruling class should be pragmatic, offering small-scale reform in order to quell revolutionary fervour and reduces polarisations and conflicts.
how has ronald reagan pursued a principled political program?
Ronald Regan showed clear principality and fierce ideology.
He pursued aggressive, imperialist and strongly anti-communist agenda, running a fanatical foreign campaign.
This led Regan to pursue the unattainable and scientifically unfeasible ‘Star Wars Campaign’, involving introducing ground and space based systems to protect the us from attack.
A pragmatist would not look to escalate the conflict, especially as the downfall of the Soviet Union seemed inevitable at the time – the communist Reagan fought against so harshly had posed no real threat since the 1960s.
how do conservatives believe authority is natural?
natural aristocracy natural inequality
people are born to leadership - to be great and command or mindless and limited
human specifies are designed in terms of survival of the fittest
key concepts of neoconservatism in the UK and US
UK
traditional position on morality and lifestyle
authoritarian stand on law and order
heavy emphasis on national self interest and patriotism
opposition to excessive immigration and cultural diversity
US
strong religious element
protectionism from foreign competition
how does tradition reflect a conservative religious belief?
traditional practices and customs in society are “god given”
i’m this way the world was created and designed by god society was shaped by “the law of our creator” - natural law
if tradition is ignored and humans tamper with the world they are challenging the will of god and making human affairs worse
18th century belief - after it manmade suffrage and elections historical change accelerated
how are humans psychologically limited according to conservatives
limited and dependent creatures
in the view of conservatives people fear isolation and instability
drawn to the safe and the familiar
seek security and knowing their place
what does humans being psychologically limited lead to a belief in… according to conservatives
social order and to be suspicious of the attractions of liberty
ensures humans will be stable and predictable; providing security in an uncertain word
suspicious of liberty as it presents individuals with choices and can generate change and uncertainty
often echoed the views of thomas hobbes in being prepared to sacrifice liberty to maintain social order
how are humans morally limited according to conservatives
trace the origins of immoral or criminal behaviour to society
conservatives believe it is rooted in the individual
pessimistic view of human nature as innately selfish and greedy ANYTHING BUT PERFECTIBLE
hobbes: primary human urge is power after power due to original sin
explain why there is a conservative belief in low and order
so closely related in the conservative mind that they have almost become a single fused concept
crime is not a product of inequality of social disadvantage as socialists and modern liberals tend to believe rather it is a consequence of base human instincts and appetite
people can only behave in a civilised fashion if they are deterred from expressing their violent and anti social impulses
only effective deterrent is law based on the knowledge it’ll be strictly unforced
what is the role of law for conservatives
law is not to uphold liberty but to preserve order
strong government
tough criminal justice system regimes
long prison systems
use of corporal or capital punishments
how are humans intellectually limited
world is simply too complicated for human reason to grasp it fully
political world is boundless and bottomless
suspicious of abstract ideas and systems of thought that claim to understand what is incomprehensible
“the cure is worse than the disease”
not applied to new right
on what basis do hayek and friedman challenge the idea of managed economy
allocating resources in a complicated industrialised economy
too difficult for any set of state beurocrats to achieve successfully
the virtue of the market is that it acts as the central nervous system of the economy
reconciling the supply of goods and services with demand
allocated resources to their most profitable use and thereby ensures consumer needs are satisfied
neoconservative domestic concerns for social order?
crime delinquency and anti social behaviour are generally a consequence of larger decline of authority
since the 1960s
social authoritarianism
greater social discipline and authority at every level
family: naturally hierarchical children should respect their parents, naturally patriarchal
state authoritarianism
tough on law and order
longer harsher prison sentences
describe the conservatives new rights concern about public morality?
desire to reassert the moral foundations of politics
in the face of permissive 1960s, liberalisation of LGBT rights and doing your own thing
victorian values or USA traditional or family values
what is the danger of a permissive society in the eyes of the new right?
1) freedom to choose ones own morals or life style could lead to the choice of immoral or evil views
religious view in the USA
2) not so much that people may adopt the wrong morals or lifestyles
may simple choose different moral positions
undermined the cohesion of society
they lack ethnically normals and moral standards; pathlesd desert no guidance or support
describe the neoconservative new right desire to strengthen national identity
nations bind people together with common culture and civic identity
rooted in history and tradition
patriotism strengthens political will
threats of growing multiculturalism which weakens the bonds of bationhood by creating a spectre of ethnic and racial conflict
so new right have taken a tough stance on immigration eg Euroscepticism in the 1990s UK
why is the liberal new righty anti statist
state is regarded as a realm of coercion and i freedom: collectivism restricts individual initiative and self respect
government damaged human affairs
faith is therefore placed in the individual and in the market
individuals encourages to be self reliant and to make rational choices in their own interests
how do traditional and new right conservatives view hierarchy?
natural aristocracy Burke
traditional conservatives view authority as an essential component of maintains social order
the liberal new right are more likely to promote inequality based on merit and to question natural sources of authority
they lean towards social mobility; increased individual freedoms and economic sovereignty, less respect for old class structures
why have conservatives defended authority as it guarantees public order and discipline
authority is backed up by a system of punishments
protects society from the forces of lawlessness and anarchy
seen in 1980s under thatchers government (longer prison sentences, harsher punishments)
this is by virtue of its capacity to constrain baser human urges and instincts
people are morally flawed naturally selfish greedy and aggressive
“power after power” and original sin
authoritarian conservatives prioritise order over all values portraying authority as absolute and unquestionable
why do new right conservatives support private property
economic incentive as a reflection of individual merit - ability and hard work
it reduced individuals dependency on the state
it is earned
in what ways do neoconservatives support a strong state power
the system of law and order should be made effective particularly by a stronger regime of punishments
they explain the rise in crime delinquency and antisocial behaviour as a result of weaker less authoritative sofieties in the 1960s
traditional values should be upheld if neccesary by law, in order to ensure society is bound together by a common culture
society should be permissive lacking ethical norms or moral standards as it is a “path less desert” without guidance or support for people or their families
Thatcher promoted victorian values in the UK
1988 local government act: section 28
national patriotism - strengthening national identity in the face of threats within and without, strengthening political will as people have a common civic identity rooted in history and tradition
burke quote on order
good order is the foundation of all good things
who is associated with the idea of a natural aristocracy
Burke
what does natural aristocracy mean
as the brain heart and liver all perform different functions in the body, classes and groups have specific roles
society there are leaders and there are followers
natural inequality of wealth and position justified by a corresponding inequality of social responsibility
how do conservatives view freedom
a willing acceptance of social obligations and ties by individuals who recognise value
freedom is a willing to accept social obligation and ties by individuals who recognise their value
doing ones duty - to act as a dutiful son or daughter out of a recognition of obligation
how does an organic society differ from mechanistic society
they can’t be arranged or rearranged at will
within an organism the whole is more than a collection of its individual parts
the whole is sustainable by a fragile set of relationships between and among its parts - once damaged can result in the organisms death
shaped by human understanding
organisms are shaped by natural factors not human ingenuity
an organic society is fashioned by natural necessity
eg family has not been invented by any social thinker or political thinker but is a product of natural social impulses eg love care
children don’t agree to the contract of a family they are just nurtured and guided by it
how does the new right not confirm to the traditional belief in organic society
in line with the robust individualism of classical liberalism
hold that society is a product of the actions of self seeking and largely self reliant individuals
margaret thatcher : there’s no such thing as society only individuals and their families
example of conservative support for authority
neoconservatives call for the strengthening of social disciplines
arguing a decline in authority led to antisocial behaviour and crime since the 1960s
desire for a strong state that is “tough” on law and order
in the Uk Thatcher stressed an emphasis on custodial sentences and longer prison sentences: PRISON WORKS
quotes on pragmatism
a state without the mans of change is without the means of its conservation
the wise conservative travels light
change in order to conserve
why does the new right criticise the welfare state
culture of dependency
saps initiative and enterprise
robs people of dignity and self respect
welfare is the cause not the solution of disadvantage
violation of property rights
transferring property without consent from one person to another amounts to legalised theft
why does the new right oppose high level of taxation
they discourage enterprise and infringe on property rights
why does the new right oppose nationalisation
inherently inefficient
unlike private firms they are not disciplined by the profit motive
how does the new right differ from one nationalism socially
one nation: community is best maintained by social reform
reduction of poverty
neoconservatives: strength en community by resorting authority and imposing social discipline
when does conservative nationalism prosper
in conditions of fear, insecurity and social dislocation
strength being their capacity to represent unity and certainty, binding the national identity to tradition and established values
why does the new right support private property
property is wholly a persons
they can do with it what they want once it has been acquired
reflection of individual merit
what are the implications of a conservative belief in organic society
change is undesirable
communitarianism
social hierarchy
explain why opposition to change is an implication of the conservative belief in organic society
radical change, is undesirable, as it misguidedly treats society as if it were a machine whose parts can be assembled and reassembled, recast and reformed, in the hope of improving its workings.
all social classes, all individuals in place for a reason – social mobility or moving up in society upsets the delicate balance of society e.g. women entering the workplace.
the structures and institutions of society have been shaped by forces beyond human control and possibly understanding
any attempt to reform or worse, abolish an institution is thus fraught with dangers.
opposition to revolution; support for pragmatism. Conservative defence of monarchy, house of lords etc.
explain why communitarianism is an implication of the conservative belief in organic society
stresses the importance of social duty and obligation, and is linked to the One Nation tradition, paternalism.
risk of societal collapse or revolution if all parts of society are not looked after – just as a virus can affect the whole bodu, the revolutionary attitude of the working class can spread to widespread anger in the whole system
wealth and social position are largely acquired through the accident of birth, the privileged have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.
duty is thus the price of privilege – dating back to the feudal tradition of ‘noblesse oblige’, where a squire would but on twice yearly feasts for his peasants.
this also implies that the poor are ‘deserving’ of support because they are not the architects of their own misfortunes.
explain why social hierarchy is an implication of the conservative belief in organic society
Certain individuals far more important than others – defence of social hierahcy.
Just as the heart is more important than the kidneys. Burkes idea of natural aristocracy – that some people are born to lead whilst others are born to follow.
Genuine social equality is a myth as there is a natural inequality of wealth and social position.
in what way do neoconservatives support a strong state
the system of law and order should be made more effective, particularly by using a stronger regime of punishments to deter wrong-doing.
Neoconservatives explain a rise in crime, delinquency and anti-social behaviour as a result of weaker, less authoritative societies since the 1960s.
neoconservatives to support the promotion of national patriotism. Neoconservatives have a desire to strengthen national identity in the face of threats within and without – patriotism strengthens political will as people have a common civic identity, which is rooted in history and tradition.
explain why neoconservatives and neoliberal differ in their opinion on personal choice
Neoliberals would argue that morality or personal choice, the state must steer well clear.
For example, US neoliberals Ron Paul (2008) argue that drug use is entirely personal choice and so can’t be restricted by the state.
Neoconservatives argue that traditional values, nuclear family must be upheld through regulation in place of a permissive society – traditional, moral framework.
They should be upheld, if necessary by law, in order to ensure that society is bound together by a common culture.
Society should not be permissive, lacking ethical norms or moral standards as it is a “pathless desert” without guidance or support for people or their families.
For example, Reagan inspired by moral majority campaign and Thatcher’s Victorian values.
explain how neoliberals and neoconservatives differ on security
Internal and external security beefed up from neoconservatives.
Internally, Reagans war on drugs, Thatcher’s police force. Externally, Reagan’s second world war.
The states first duty is to crush disorder and descent internally; enemies are neutralised and any threat is dealt with.
Neoliberals argue that voluntary defence forces or private companies provide services – not things the state should do. This is the realm of the private sector.
theresa may pragmatism example
British Conservative Party under Theresa May over the EU:
they broadly supported the EU when they believed it was popular and then changed to supporting Brexit due to the shift in public opinion after the 2016 EU referendum.
example of modern day desire for tradition
Donald Trump ‘make America great again’ and resurrecting the American dream; reactionary not continuous.
Rise of Farage and UKIP, recapturing a glorious past, with pint on top of white cliffs of dover, pubs.
HOWEVER: modernising agenda with Cameron, Osbourne and May, attitudes to same-sex values.
Traditionalists appear to out-way modernisers internationally – appeal because society has ‘gone too far’ in the face of globalisation and rapid social change.
explain why property creates cross-generational bonds
land, houses, works of art are passed down from earlier generations
the present generation is the custodian of the wealth and has a duty to protect and preserve it for the benefit of future generations
for example, harold macmillan saw thatchers policy of privatisation as “selling off the family silver”
why do traditional conservatives defend tradition and continuity
Burke founding conservatism there is a strong defence for traditional ideologies and practises.
Articulated by Burke laying the foundations for conservative political thought.
Traditional institutions proved value by standing up to historical forces e.g. modern conservatives supporting monarchy, church of England and house of lords.
Cornerstones of British political and social history must be defended.
Honouring tradition honours the achievements of our ancestors and what they worked for, GK Chesterton’s “democracy of the dead”, ensuring dead are respected by living.
By preserving the institutions, we inherit, generations come together for the future.
They represent the accumulated wisdom of past generations; to sweep them away is supremely arrogant
in what way do one nation conservatives support tradition and continuity
qualified: “change in order to conserve”.
Disraeli deliberately breaks with tradition of conservative party; in the past party of the aristocracy or landed gentry, those with wealth and property. Giving working class men the right to vote, limiting power of industrialists to exploit their workers, clearing slums and building new towns for the working class.
However, this break with tradition is in order to ensure the continuity of elite rule remains, top down political system (small number of people hold power) and a revolution from below would not take place.
Macmillan adopted labours NHS, mixed economy and progressive taxation to ensure the continuity of the conservative party, continue political landscape in order to guarantee electoral success.
in what way does the neoliberal new right ignore tradition and continuity
Happy to see dismantling and smashing of class hierarchies, to encourage meritocracy. Thatcher’s Right to Buy.
Radical and revolutionary economic policy, no respect of tradition.
Happy to dispense of decades long habits e.g. nationalisation of industries – traditional one nation figure Macmillan viewed privatisation as selling off the family silver shows that this is vulgar, not respecting inheritance.
De regulation of city of London opens it up to a whole new ethos rise of ‘yuppy’, city institutions swept aside; opened up to radical and global approach.
in what way is the neoconservative new right seemingly traditional but actually reactionary
Sole purpose is to continue tradition; arch-traditionalist.
Any social change or radical elements in society are deliberately crushed. Opposition to permissive society of the 1960s (sexuality, marriage and family); turn the clock back in favour of family values (Reagan) and Victorian values (thatcher).
Seems very traditional but does not advocate continuity because the change has already happened.
Instead it takes a reactionary form; people in the 1960s believed it was right to decriminalise homosexuality and abortion, brought about a consensus in society.
More than a defence of tradition and continuity, looking to return to an earlier age not moving and modernising with the times– things that have already died (beyond the grave).
explain how/why macmillan was concerned about the free market
Macmillan adapts to the consensus against free market when in power.
He maintains Labour’s pioneering approach of large nationalisation, high public spending, progressive taxation – concerned about free market, actively seeking to limit freedom of capitalism
. However, as a conservative thinker in the 1930s he wrote ‘the middle way’ he argued that free market capitalism was not a good idea and dangerous.
The state withdraws and free market capitalism generates uncertainties – rise of populists that lead to WW1.
Government strikes path between communism and capitalism – controls some industry and regulates capitalism.
explain how/why disreali was concerned about free market
Free market capitalism that has led to the two-nation problem of huge inequality. Disraeli looks to limit this through the power of legislation and the state.
He supported Limiting power of mine, mill, factory owners by using the power of the state.
Introducing minimum wage levels, improving working conditions, restricting working hours – Factory Act.
why is traditional conservatism in the interests of the privileged and the prosperous
defend status quo; oppose radical change.
arose out of a defence of the embattled landed gentry and the institution of the monarchy
demand respect for tradition, legitimising an inegalitarian status quo – rule from above and natural privilege
Conservatism believes in the hierarchy of a natural aristocracy (Burke) – always going to serve the interests of the elite.
Those who are the most privileged are there by right, having been ordained by nature, deserving to be there and will defend their right to be there.
In this way, just as the brain the heart and the liver all perform different functions in the body, so do various classes and groups.
The privileged deserve to be where they are because there must be leaders and there must be followers – genuine social equality is a myth as there are natural inequalities in wealth and position.
Resist large scale social reform and so will maintain the status quo and the position of societies elites.
Protect them from challenge or unseating.
why do traditional conservatives defending private property merely reflect the interests of the privileged and prosperous
defend private property, ring-fencing the wealth of private property
Society is geared to meet the interests of property owners.
The idea that property should be passed down makes it difficult for poor people to gain property.
Additionally, there is limited scope for welfare redistribution as it is a fundamental right – conservatives would adhere to the liberal idea that (excessive) taxation is theft.
in what way does one nationalism merely reflect the interests of the privileged and prosperous
its purpose is to consolidate hierarchy rather than remove it; its wish to improve conditions for the less well-off is limited to the desire to ensure that the poor no longer propose a threat to the established order.
reform was the sensible thing to do in order to prevent revolution, and the overthrowal of the ruling class
Disraeli feared the poor and oppressed would not simply accept their misery – evidenced by the growth of the revolutionary chartists in New South Wales and the sweeping revolutions across Europe.
To prevent this, reform would take the sting out of the anger of the poor, blunting their revolutionary forever – ultimately in the interests of the rich.
Therefore, the privileged throw a few strategic scraps to the poor further down, but only limited redistribution of wealth and minimal welfare prevision: radical reform would be excessive.
Less concern for the poor for its own sake, a greater sense of enlightened self interest.
why does one nationalism represent a certain amount of concern for the poor
belief in the genuine, moral duty of the prosperous to support the poor.
Dating back to the principle of Noblesse Oblige, Disraeli argued that wealth and privilege brought social obligation to the poor and less well off.
In the same way the landed nobility once exercised paternal responsibility for their peasants, the privileged and the prosperous had a duty to do this also.
genuinely improved the standards of living for the working class Second Reform Act (worker right to vote not in the interest of prosperous, brings them into electoral fold giving them a political voice for the first time), new dwellings for poor, slum clearance.
Materially, his policies improved the position of the poor as he did something to make their quality of life better.
in what way is the new right not limited to the privileged and prosperous
The New Right seem to be, at least superficially, in favour of preach social mobility and neoliberal meritocracy. New right seeks to encourage social mobility as they target a policy (Right to Buy) towards the working class, encouragement of shared ownership, deregulation of city of London. Open up new opportunities to all sectors of society, families invested in the first wave of BT shares.
The new right argues that trickle-down economics allows for a rise in absolute living standards
why does the new right oppose welfarism
Particularly the neoliberal new right would argue that it saps initiative and enterprise, robbing people of dignity and self respect. It thus legitimises inequality.
Charles Murray argued it is a major cause of family breakdown, as women are relieved of their dependency on breadwinning men, creating a new underclass of single mothers and fatherless children, who want to leech of the state.
Robert Nosik argues that the property rights of the wealthiest are threatened – progressive taxation effectively legitimately steals property. So, Reagan and thatcher radically cut taxes so prosperous kept wealth. Privatisation gave collective wealth to the hands of a powerful few as opposed to the collective nation providing basic services.
explain why/how conservatives share a view on human nature
Shared view of self-seeking, violent impulses - roots in original sin (Burke).
Traditional, one nation and neo-conservatives all agree that humans are psychologically, morally and intellectually imperfect - they are unable to efficiently regulate their own lives, meaning a strong state was required to do it for them (paternalism).
humans are security seeking and prefer the tried and tested as opposed to the unknown, meaning they are drawn to the comfort of the state with its regulation and traditions.
opposition to change as well as reinforces authoritative government is required to regulate the lives of citizens (they are particularly concerned with moral imperfection of humans and their capacity for crime, blaming social unrest in the 1970s and 1980s on the abolition of the death penalty in 1964).
explain why/how all conservatives support authority
human impulses of power after power
Traditional conservatives support authority, favouring discipline, law and order. A strong state is a vital element of any stable society.
One Nation conservatives also favour strong and controlling state, especially in law and order.
Conservative new right endorse an authoritarian state - defined by a fear of social fragmentation that is the product of liberal reform and spread of ‘permissiveness’ which undermines established structures of society by questioning authority - which arguably was the case in the 1960s and 70s, thus seek to strengthen leadership and authority in society.
BUT Liberal strand of the new right campaign for minimal state, believing strong states are a realm of coercion and restriction.
traditional and one nation view on private property
Traditional conservatives support the concept of property, believing it is passed down from one generation to the next and encourages positive social values (such as support for the property of others as well as a desire to work to make the money to acquire more property etc) and gives people a stake in society which they desire, being security seeking creatures.
One Nation conservatives further endorse this view, demonstrated by Harold Macmillan in the 1990s, who criticised Thatcher’s policy of privatization, claiming it was the same as “selling off the family silver”.
new right on private property
property is something that is earned and as such represents individual merit (ability and hard work), meaning that property is an absolute right.
Contrasts with the traditional conservative belief that property also entails duty.
Nozick condemned all policies of welfare and redistribution of One Nationism as a violation of property rights.
traditional conservative view on tradition and continuity
• Traditional conservatives favour continuity and want to avoid radical changes.
demonstrated by Burke: “no generation should be so rash as to consider itself superior to its predecessors” - argument that traditions are a representation of the accumulated wisdom of the past and as such should be respected and preserved for future generations.
Desire to avoid change demonstrated by opposition to concept of removing bodies such as the House of Lords or the monarchy, as well as the preservation of symbols of traditional English culture such as red post boxes and London buses.
However, it does accept that piecemeal change is inevitable and should not be resisted, but favour continuity
new right on tradition and continuity
endorse radical change, opposing traditional features such as the state, particularly state control over the economy - thus calls for the ‘rolling back of the state’.
reactionary tendency and a desire to reverse the social developments of the 1960s.
one nation conservatives on tradition and continuity
willing to accept change in order to prevent social revolution, leading to the passing of legislation such as the Second Reform Act of 1867 which granted voting rights to the working class and improved housing conditions as well as hygiene -
these changes were attempts to reduce the divide between the rich and poor classes, which one nation believes is the cause of social revolution
but done in order to continue social hierarchies
traditional and one nation conservatives on hierarchy
Traditional conservatives see society as a natural hierarchy by virtue of its ‘natural aristocracy’ – some people are born to greatness whilst some are born to follow (Burke).
One Nation conservatives believes that society is naturally hierarchal, but stress the inequalities of wealth and social privilege give rise to an inequality of responsibilities (wealthy and privileged must shoulder the burden of social responsibility - noblesse oblige).
votes given to working class
why is the new right in the interest of privileged
meritocracy arguably legitimises inequality, as it implies position is determined by ability and appetite for hard work – rich deserve to be rich, poor deserve to be poor. A true meritocracy implies inheritance should be heavily taxed or curtailed; something that counters private property
‘trickle down economics’ that supposedly shares wealth, concentrates it in the hands of the ruling class. While businesses and the privileged benefit from tax cuts and economic de regulation, poorer people are made more vulnerable with the withdrawal of social supports and the weakening of trade unions.
the new right oppose welfare (helps poor) as it creates a dependency culture. Particularly the neoliberal new right would argue that it saps initiative and enterprise, robbing people of dignity and self respect. It thus legitimises inequality.
Charles Murray argued it is a major cause of family breakdown, as women are relieved of their dependency on breadwinning men, creating a new underclass of single mothers and fatherless children, who want to leech of the state.
Robert Nosik argues that the property rights of the wealthiest are threatened – progressive taxation effectively legitimately steals property.
