Conservatism essays and KTs

Question 1

Hobbes

Answer 1

Wrote in response to English Civil War ‘Leviathan’ 1651, as justification for the state.
Pessimistic view of human nature, in state of nature life would be ‘nasty, brutish and short’ and should always be fearful as all are power seeking and self-seeking. To avoid violent social order people agree to social contract and authoritarian state establishing a sovereign Leviathan which is dominant and coercive to preserve social order, sacrifice of liberty for stability and protection of property.

Question 2

Burke

Answer 2

Wrote ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’ 1780 after concerns over the French revolution, seen as founder of modern conservatism.
Rejected rapid change emphasised organic society, using tradition, empiricism and caution, state and society hold the net knowledge of people, society as a contract between the ‘living, the dead, and those yet to be born’. Humans naturally imperfect, natural hierarchy where all have a part to play. Unwise to resist change as ‘a state without the means of change is without the means of its conservation’.

Question 3

Oakeshott

Answer 3

Wrote essays in the 1960s and 70s such as ‘Rationalism in Politics’ and ‘On Human Conduct’.
Primarily argued pragmatism, preferring ‘the familiar to the unknown, the tried to the untried’, society should revolve around tradition forming a ‘civil association’ with the state like a ship through stormy seas, only to guide and keep afloat not to create. Believed humans incapable of rationalism so need hobbies, habits and customs to live.

Question 4

Rand

Answer 4

Lived through Russian Revolution where family’s property was collectivised, wrote fiction such as ‘Atlas Shrugged’ and ‘Anthem’ in the 1930s and 40s.
Saw free market capitalism as the only correct system as claimed humans had a duty to be selfish and welfare and altruism is immoral, we should instead seek ‘ethical egoism’. Believed should revere those with wealth an inequality natural, that the state should provide only a minimal role but is necessary to keep everyone in check.

Question 5

Nozick

Answer 5

Wrote ‘Anarchy, State, and Utopia’ 1974 largely seen as response to Rawls.
Argued Libertarianism that people cannot be treated as a resource or means to an end and big on Locke’s ideas of self-ownership, therefore state shouldn’t legislate on ‘victimless crimes’ such as homosexuality and drug use, it should only be a ‘nightwatchman’. Saw taxes as ‘legalised theft’ and that welfare was immoral because it used people as a resource to further social equality.