Conservatism II

Question 1

One Nation Conservatism

Answer 1

They believe in the prioritisation of national unity by attending to the condition of the working classes, not just the upper class elites - this has been use by the conservative politicians to justify greater state intervention in society and the economy - lading to higher levels of public spending and taxation

EG British PM Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) embraced the importance of the idea of a ‘nation’ and saw nationalism’s potential in his 1845 novel ‘Sybil; or the two nations’.

Question 2

Similiarities between traditional conservatism and one nation conservatism - human nature

Answer 2

They prefer organic societal structures

Modern one nation are more receptive to rationalistic concepts whilst Burke and Oakeshott are skeptical about human nature - selfish, unrational - French Rev, overestimation of human potential

Question 3

Similiarities between traditional conservatism and one nation conservatism - the state

Answer 3

• Little platoons
• Organicism
• Primary role of the state as preserving organic society
• Should be led by the elite

Early one nation were empirically influenced and involved limited state intervention

Question 4

Similiarities between traditional conservatism and one nation conservatism - society

Answer 4

Paternalism and noblesse oblige - one nation emphasise this more

Question 5

Similiarities between traditional conservatism and one nation conservatism - economy

Answer 5

Free market
Both wary of capitallism:
- Traditional Con support an economy based on priv ownership but are wary of free market capitalism due to concerns about exascerbating inequality

• One Nation are aware of the risk unregulated capitalism causing social tension - need moderate state involvement in economy

Question 6

New Right Conservatism

Answer 6

• Most famously exemplified by Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan
• Could essentially be called an ‘American export’ because Conservatives placed much more emphasis on individual freedom, laissez-faire capitalism, private property and minimal government - this stemmed from the individualistic views of the USA’s founding fathers and a constitution that owed much of the philosophy of John Locke mixed with traditional Christian morality, respect for marriage and family life, and an intense patriotism

Question 7

Neo-liberalism

Answer 7

Could be accurately be described as a merger between the two strands of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism

Associated with laissez-faire, free market economics principally associated with ‘The Road to Serfdom’ - places great emphasis on private property ownership, limited gov interference in the economy and low taxation

Question 8

Neo-conservatism

Answer 8

Less concerned with economic freedom and more interested in the restoration of authority, national identity and a society informed by Judeo-Christian morality

Question 9

4 things neo-conservatives want to see in society

Answer 9

• Tougher approach to law and order involving more police power and stiffer sentences
• More robust approach to national defence - less conciliatory approach to the nation’s potential enemies
• Less tolerant approach to immigration - challenge to traditional nation’s identity
• Anti-permissive social policies (in respect of issues like abortion and homosexuality) and promotion of traditional family structures via the state’s tax and benefits system

Question 10

5 things neo-liberals want to see in the economy

Answer 10

• Drastic reduction in tax
• Tighter control of government spending (monetarist likes prescribed by Friedman)
• End to dependency culture from expensive welfare state
• Deregulation and privatisation of services carried out by gov
• Neutering of ‘obstructive’ bodies wedded to ‘statist’ ideas (trade unions and local councils)

Question 11

Ayn Rand views

Answer 11

• Objectivism - altruisim is evil
• Humans are at their best when no constrained by a small state
  Individual freedom - positive human nature view
• Selfishness is about the self - not living on the state
• Realise your own potential and respect others

Question 12

Ayn Rand key quotes

Answer 12

‘The highest pursuit is your own happiness’
‘This life is all you have: why not make the most of it?’

Question 13

Nozick main views

Answer 13

• Emphasis on a small or minarchist state - only concerned with the enforcement of contracts and protection against theft
• Defended the concept of natural justice - the justice is served by considering that which would occur naturally without state interference
• Individual fulfillment is an end in itself and we are entitled to use our resources as we see fit - claimed that whatever outcome resulted from the free exchange of labour and other resources must be a just one
• Argued that the distribution of goods as a result of the free market is a just position - but criticised the redistribution of wealth because it undermined the rights of the individual - his most famous quote is his depiction of tax as a form of ‘legalised theft’

Question 14

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives agree on - human nature

Answer 14

Mostly human imperfection - no trust in rationalism - flawed from birth
They differ on the scale of human imperfection - New right takes on a form of rationality

Question 15

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives agree on - state

Answer 15

Both maintain law and order - all believe a state is necessary - but traditional is interventionist but New Right is minarchist

Question 16

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives agree on - society

Answer 16

Small communities and local
Society cannot exist without a state to regulate
Most social hierachies

Question 17

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives agree on - economy

Answer 17

Both believe in capitalism
Traditional - Protectionist
ON - Keynesian
NR - Laissez-faire, monetarist

Question 18

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives disagree on - human nature

Answer 18

Traditional - spectical view - gap between aspiration and achievement - dislike French rev

NR - More optimistic - possibilities of individuals with initiative and liberty
Nozick and Rand - positive view on what individuals can achieve in the economic sphere - pro capitalist

Question 19

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives disagree on - society

Answer 19

Traditional - Political power given to those ‘born to rule’, natural ‘ruling class’ - duty and sacrifice and responsibility - pragmatic about extent of state and prepared to enlarge it

NR - Minarchist, ‘roll back the frontiers of the state’ to advance individual freedom and reverse dependency culture - hostile to principle aristocratic rule - ruling classes have too much stake in the status quo and reluctant to admit need for radical change

Question 20

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives disagree on - state

Answer 20

Traditional - ‘Little platoons’, hierachael structure, ‘paternalism’, elites exercise power of the majority, organic society, place great stock on community

NR - Atomism - atomised inidividuals seeking self determination. Skeptical about preferring meritocratic society than aristocratic

Question 21

Things traditional, one nation and new right conservatives disagree on - economy

Answer 21

Traditional - Defends economy based on private ownership, skeptical of free market capitalism, fearful its dynamic effects exascerbate inequality, threaten one nation, and fuel support for socialism

NR - Nozick zealously advocate free market economics where state functions are privatised and deregulated - where levels of tax and state spending are significantly low

Question 22

Differences between traditional conservatism and one nation conservatism - human nature

Answer 22

One Nation doesn’t believe that human nature is as evil as traditional puts it

Question 23

How did New Right Conservatism spurr on the crisis of traditional conservatism

Answer 23

• Characterised by spiralling inflation, mounting unemployment, unsustainable welfare spending and increased crime rates - traditional con has endorsed a post war consensus involving Keynesian economics, state welfare and social liberalism - therefore complicit in a rapidly declining economy, bloated welfare state and a ‘permissive society’

Question 24

Ayn Rand’s society

Answer 24

Emphasises her belief in the idea of the individual
Consists of atomism: millions of autonomous individuals each independently seeking self-fulfilment and self-realisation. Her ideas provide the justification for the New right’s ideas of ‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’

A Libertarian thinker, but she values the state - to her, liberty is impossible without a state