CONSERVATISM - Traditional Flashcards
IDEAS
Human imperfection
Traditional conservatives recognise the need for the state to protect society against human imperfections.
Humans are imperfect in knowledge, so human-made principles (equality) are weak, and should be ignored for ‘common sense’ based on traditional ideas.
IDEAS
Tradition
If a practice, institution, or value has lasted, it has passed the test of time.
It should not be abandoned if it has survived for such a long time.
IDEAS
Pragmatism
Burke argued that whilst some change was necessary to conserve, this change should be based on fact and experience (tradition)
This is flexibility - used by Tory governments in the early 19th century e.g., Tories didn’t like the NHS but they supported it because it was popular.
IDEAS
Organic society
Burke argued that society was like an organic plant, which grows gradually over time, rather than a man-made machine which could be taken apart and redesigned.
So, he insisted that change must be cautious.
IDEAS
Paternalism
Traditional conservatives love noblesse oblige - the aristocratic leadership should remain untouched because of the existence of noblesse oblige.
IDEAS
Libertarianism
Late 20th century saw neoliberals change conservatism to include many of the key ideas of classical liberalism.
But, some liberal doctrines, particularly those concerning the free market, have been advanced by conservatives since the 18th century - they are like a rival tradition to conservative paternalism.
E.g., Edmund Burke, who was a founder of Trad Conservatism, but who was a whig for most of his career, and who supported liberty, and free trade.
IMPERFECTION
Why do Hobbes and Burke disagree?
Hobbes believes that humans are intellectually perfect but we are not wholly irrational, because individuals would seek a social contract where they would surrender their individual autonomy to get order.
Burke agreed in that humans are imperfect, but he believes we are not ruthlessly individualistic and that we are naturally communal - he believed we weren’t that destructive.
IMPERFECTION
Psychological imperfection
People fear isolation and instability, and seek security.
They are drawn psychologically to the safe and the familiar.
Burke argued that individuals gained comfort from ‘little platoons’
… which is why Conservatives emphasize the importance of social order, which ensures that human life is stable.
IMPERFECTION
Moral imperfection
In the view of conservatism, humankind is innately selfish.
Some conservatives explain this using original sin.
Given our moral nature, crime is not a product of inequality or social disadvantage, it is a consequence of base human instincts. The only effective deterrent is law.
This explains the conservative preference for strong government and for ‘tough’ criminal justice regimes.
IMPERFECTION
Intellectual imperfection
Humankind’s intellectual powers are also thought to be limited. The world is simply too complicated for human reason to grasp fully.
Conservatives are, therefore, suspicious of abstract ideas that claim to understand what is incomprehensible e.g., Burke’s criticisms of the French Revolution.
Conservatives prefer to ground their ideas in tradition, experience, and history, adopting a cautious, moderate and pragmatic approach.
Reform and revolution, conservatives warn, often lead to greater suffering rather than less.
TRADITION
… is god-given
For some Conservatives, this emphasises their religious faith.
Burke believed that society was shaped by the ‘law of our Creator’, or what he called ‘natural law’ (Not Locke’s rational natural law)
Tampering with the world = challenging the will of God.
TRADITION
… is the accumulated wisdom of the past
The institutions and practices of the past have been ‘tested by time’, and they should, consequently, be preserved for the benefit of the living and future generations.
This reflects the Darwinian belief that those institutions that have survived have done so because they have worked - ‘natural selection’.
This links with Empiricism: the idea that knowledge comes from real experience and not from abstract theories.
E.g., the monarchy should be preserved because it’s a good institution.
TRADITION
… provides a sense of identity
Conservatives like tradition because it generates a sense of identity.
Established customs and practices which are recognisable are familiar.
It accelerates social cohesion by linking people to the past.
PRAGMATISM
Define it
Pragmatism is defined as the concept of behaviour and decisions being shaped in accordance with practical circumstances and goals, rather than abstract principles or ideological objectives.
This produces a flexible approach to society and politics.
Political assertions should be judged for their practical merits.
PRAGMATISM
How does this link to human imperfection?
Humans lack intellectual ability and reasoning powers to comprehend complex realities of the world.
Thus, Conservatives tend to dismiss abstract ideas, theories, and ideologies that claim to explain and better human life and development.
Principles such as human rights, a classless society, and equality are dangerous because they promote a radical reordering of society.
Oakeshott reflects this in arguing we must ‘ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease’
