Conservatism - Core ideas - final Flashcards
What do conservatives stress about human nature?
Stress their frailty and fallibility - they reject the optimistic view that humans have the capacity for endless achievement and improvement.
What has conservatisms view of human nature led it to be called?
‘a philosophy of imperfection’
What does the conservative view of human nature tend to be?
Descriptive rather than prescriptive, highlighting humanity as it is rather than as it could be.
Where does conservatism’s view of human nature come from?
It draws on the Old Testament doctrine of original sin.
How did Hobbes view human nature?
Ruthlessly selfish, calculating, and competitive.
What would life in Hobbes’ State of Nature be like?
‘nasty, brutish and short’
What was Edmund Burke’s seminal work?
Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790
What did Burke suggest we look to to guide our behaviour?
Custom, habit, and experience.
Did Burke think humans were ruthlessly individualistic?
No, he saw them as naturally communal, gaining comfort and support from the communities - their ‘little platoons’
How did Michael Oakeshott view conservatism?
‘more psychology than ideology’
‘an instinctive preference for what is known, an innate fear of the uncertain’
What did Oakeshott believe life in the state of nature would be like?
‘noisy, foolish and flawed’.
If human nature was guided by routine, familiarity and religion, what could it be like?
‘benign and benevolent’ in the words of Michael Oakeshott.
How did the New Right thinker, Robert Nozick, describe humans?
‘freedom-loving pack animals’
What must human nature be in order to provide some peace and stability?
It must be restrained by a formal authority and deeply rooted communities.
What do conservatives want to achieve in society?
Stability, security, and order.
How do conservatives see society being made of?
A collection of localised communities - what Burke described as ‘little platoons’.
What do Burke’s ‘little platoons’ provide individuals with?
Security, status, and inspiration, while acting as a brake upon the sort of selfish individualism extolled by classical liberals.
How does society emerge for conservatives?
Gradually and organically - it grows like a plant and can never wholly be predicted.
What is the conservative approach of empiricism?
A preference for ‘evidence’ over ‘theory’ and tends to emphasise ‘what is’ over ‘what should be’.
How did Oakeshott describe the aim of a conservative society?
As merely aiming to say afloat in uncertain waters rather than sailing steadily towards some specific destination.
What sort of change and reform do conservatives argue for?
Slow and respectful of the past.
How did Oakeshott describe conservatism’s view of tradition?
‘Just as a plant’s new leaves are connected to…the plant’s roots and branches, so a society’s present direction stems from its past development.’
What is foundational equality?
The belief that all are born equal and are of equal worth.
How do conservatives view equality?
They believe that the imperfections in human nature lead to an unequal society.
