Conservatism - Different types - final

Question 1

What are the 2 types of conservatism?

Answer 1

• Traditional conservatism
• New Right Conservatism

Question 2

What are the origins of traditional conservatism?

Answer 2

A reaction to the French Revolution.

Question 3

What was the French Revolution seen as by Burke?

Answer 3

A threat to established notions of state and society.

Question 4

What is the core conservative belief?

Answer 4

We must change to conserve.

Question 5

How did Tory governments of the early nineteenth century seek to avert the spread of revolutionary ideas?

Answer 5

By embracing moderate reform in the interest of continuity.

Question 6

What moderate reform did Tory prime minister George Canning implement to avoid radical change?

Answer 6

He prepared legislation to allow Roman Catholics to sit in Parliament.

Question 7

Why did Peel and the Tories support the Great Reform Act of 1832?

Answer 7

To harness the interests of the new merchant and business classes to Britain’s traditional constitution and society - an example of changing to conserve.

Question 8

When was Robert Peel prime minister?

Answer 8

1834-35

1841-46

Question 9

When was Robert Peel Home Secretary?

Answer 9

1828-30

Question 10

What did Robert Peel do as Home Secretary?

Answer 10

He created the Metropolitan Police Force in London, and led to similar forces being created around the country.

Question 11

What was Robert Peel’s justification for the creation of the Metropolitan Police?

Answer 11

“without security there can be no liberty”

Question 12

What was nationalism and patriotism associated with originally?

Answer 12

Anti-imperialism and anti-monarchy - the French Revolution was considered a ‘patriotic’ movement.

Question 13

What did one-nation conservatives like Disraeli and Bismarck argue about social classes?

Answer 13

That they were all members of one national ‘family’.

Question 14

What did revolutionary politics represent according to Disraeli and Bismarck?

Answer 14

An attack on the nation itself since they fostered class difference rather than unity.

Question 15

What is one-nation conservatism?

Answer 15

A belief that conservatism should prioritise national unity by attending to the condition of societies poorer classes.

Question 16

What did Disraeli believe the aristocracy had?

Answer 16

A paternalistic duty to “elevate the condition of the people” (Disraeli’s words).

Question 17

What did Disraeli say with regards to class harmony?

Answer 17

“The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy”

Question 18

How did traditional conservatives view individualism?

Answer 18

As a threat to the nation.

Question 19

Why was individualism opposed by traditional conservatives?

Answer 19

Because it was opposed to the idea of one national ‘family’.

Question 20

What did one-nation conservatives advocate in order to improve the conditions of the worst off in society?

Answer 20

Greater state intervention and social reform.

Question 21

What distinguishes one-nation conservatism from traditional liberalism?

Answer 21

They favoured a larger state to help the worst off in society whereas classical liberals favoured a minimal state and laissez faire economics.

Question 22

What did Bismarck do as chancellor of Germany that confirmed traditional conservatism’s ambivalent attitude towards free-market capitalism?

Answer 22

• Created the first welfare state, providing workers with state insurance against sickness and accident.
• Imposed tariffs and import controls.

Question 23

What did post-war conservatives say in response to criticisms that they were being opportunistic in agreeing to democratic socialist and liberal reforms, such as a welfare state and nationalised industries?

Answer 23

They claimed to be evolving and updating their expressions of one-nation conservatism.

Question 24

Why did traditional conservatism develop differently in Europe than in UK after the war?

Answer 24

European nations felt the effect of fascism much more acutely.

Question 25

Why is the variant of conservatism that developed across Europe after 1945?

Answer 25

Christian democracy

Question 26

What is Christian democracy similar to?

Answer 26

Traditional conservatism

Question 27

What are the similarities between traditional conservatism and Christian democracy?

Answer 27

They have the same belief in:

• Judeo-Christian morality as a binding force in society.
• Hierarchy and democracy.
• Social conservatism (marriage, family, abortion, sexual equality).
• A scepticism towards laissez-faire capitalism.
• A large state.

Question 28

What sort of capitalism does Christian democracy advocate?

Answer 28

The ‘social market’ - a form of capitalism that promotes paternalism and communal duty.

Question 29

What is the difference between Christian democracy and traditional conservatism?

Answer 29

Scepticism of the nation-state.

Question 30

Why are Christian democrats sceptical of one-nationism?

Answer 30

Because of their experience with fascism which left them wary of nationalism and patriotism.

Question 31

What effect did fascism and a scepticism towards nationalism have on European conservatives?

Answer 31

A favouring of supranationalism, resulting in the EEC and the EU.

Question 32

What do Christian democrats see supranational organisations as?

Answer 32

An antidote to fascism’s ultra-nationalism.

Question 33

What did traditional conservatism view as the problem of conservatism?

Answer 33

It could generate gross inequalities that would outrage the majority of voters.

Question 34

What was New Right conservatism in response to?

Answer 34

The crisis of the 1970s, which saw growing inflation, unemployment, welfare spending, crime, and trade union militancy.

Question 35

What is the objective of neo-liberalism?

Answer 35

Extend individual freedom by ‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’.

Question 36

What did neo-liberals wish to see?

Answer 36

• Reduced taxes.
• Reduced government spending.
• End to dependency culture created by the welfare state.
• Privatisation of state-run industries.

Question 37

What was neo-conservatism’s main object?

Answer 37

The restoration of authority and national identity.

Question 38

What did neo-conservatives wish to see?

Answer 38

• Tougher approach to law and order (harsher sentences and more police powers.
• Less toleration to immigration as it challenged national identity.
• Promotion of the traditional family structure with a critical attitude to abortion, divorce, and homosexuality.

Question 39

What did conservative commentator argue on his book ‘Inside Right’ (1977)?

Answer 39

That New Right conservatism was a betrayal of traditional conservative values.

Question 40

What is Ian Gilmour’s seminal work?

Answer 40

Inside Right, 1977

Question 41

What is Anthony Quinton’s seminal work?

Answer 41

The Politics of Imperfection, 1978

Question 42

What did Anthony Quinton argue in his seminal work?

Answer 42

That because New Right was a combination of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism it contains ‘fundamental contradictions’.

Question 43

How did Irving Kristol describe New Right conservatives?

Answer 43

‘a liberal mugged by reality’

Question 44

What did Irving Kristol mean by his comment on New Right conservatives?

Answer 44

That neo-liberals take an optimistic view of human nature, but require a strong state that neo-conservatives advocate to contain the inequalities and tensions of liberalism.