Conservatism Key Terms Flashcards
What is Atomism?
The idea that society is made up of self-interested individuals
What is anti-permissiveness?
A rejection of the idea that people should make their own moral choices, suggesting there is no objective right or wrong
What is Authoritarianism?
The advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom
Who was Edmund Burke?
Early Conservative thinker who wrote ‘Reflections on the Revolution on France’
What is Christian Democracy?
The European tradition of conservatism based on limited state intervention
What is ‘change to conserve’?
The idea that the state may need to accept limited change to survive
What is Empiricism?
The idea that knowledge comes from real experience and not from abstract theories
What is Functionalism?
Social institutions should be understood in the terms of functions they perform in order to sustain the social order
What is Hierarchy?
Society is ranked in a pyramid shape from top to bottom.
Who was Thomas Hobbes?
17th century philosopher who defended authoritarian government to avoid anarchy
What does the phrase ‘human imperfection’ mean to conservatives?
The traditional Conservative belief that humans are flawed in a number of ways which makes them incapable of making good decisions for themselves
What does ‘laissez-faire’ mean?
The classical Liberal economic idea, adopted by the new right, which believes the economy functions best without intervention
What is Libertanianism?
Giving priority to personal Liberty above all else
What is Natural Aristocracy?
The concept that talent and leadership cannot be learnt but are innate and inherited
What is neo-conservatism?
An ideology that puts emphasis on family, law and order and religious values
What is a neo-liberal’s belief?
A political and economic philosophy that emphasises free trade, deregulation, globalisation and a reduction in government spending
What is the ‘New Right’
A combination of neo-liberals and neo-conservatives
What is the ‘Noblesse oblige’
The duty of the wealthy and privileged to look after those less fortunate
Who was Robert Nozick?
The key new-right thinker
Wrote ‘Anarchy, state and utopia’
Who was Michael Oakeshott?
The Conservative philosopher who argued in favour of traditional values and established customs.
What is a ‘one-nation conservative’
A person who advocates the preservation of established institutions and traditional principles combined with paternalistic help for the poorest in society
What is an ‘organic society’
A society where the state/society is more important than any individual part
What is paternalism?
The idea that the state knows best and it is the duty of the wealthy to look after those who are unable to look after themselves
What is pragmatism?
A flexible approach to society with decisions made based on what works, not an ideology
What is meant by ‘radical’
An idea which can be seen as ‘drastic’ politically, economically and socially
Who was Ayn Rand?
Conservative writer whose philosophy emphasised laissez-faire capitalism
Seen as the inspiration for the ‘New-Right’
What is social conservatism?
A political ideology focused on the preservation of traditional values and beliefs
What is a ‘state of nature’ (To Hobbes)
Actually a state of war
Hobbes’ idea that without government, humans would descend into chaos
‘‘Life would be nasty, difficult, brutish and short.’’
What is traditionalism?
The concept of keeping things as they work best
