conservatives and human nature Flashcards
P1 agree - human nature leads to disorder without the state
agree that in a state of nature without a state there would naturally be conflict, so they see the state as necessary to provide order and prevent conflict
-Hobbes -leviathan - absence of strong state -human life would fall into a state of constant conflict and competition
‘nasty, brutish and short’
-this was due to his belief that humans are ruthless, driven by self interest which would lead to them conflicting with each other.
-so he argued for a strong, central authority -a leviathan to impose order & prevent descent into chaos & violence.
-belief in the tendency of humans towards conflict & need for a hierarchical social order was supported by Burke -‘reflections on the rev in France’.
‘men are qualified for civil liberty in the exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites’
-in a stable hierarchical order - belief individuals can interact safely
-although new right - saw human natures tendancy to self interest in a positive light they recognised strong state was needed to maintain order and allow individual freedom to thrive.
-Ayn rand - ‘virtue of selfishness’
‘only proper purpose of a govt is to protect mans rights… protect him from physical violence’
-without it, there would be conflict, as different humans pursing their own self interest would clash.
disagree - traditional and one nation believe in human imperfection but new right don’t
-human imperfection - central principle of cons but new right see a more positive view of human nature as rational and self interested.
-traditional & one nation cons see human imperfection as a constant that politicians need to recognise & accommodate not seek to alter.
-views influenced by Christian teachings abt sin & fallibility of man, so stress the role of moral education, strong institutions e.g fam & strong state to instil values and curb immoral behaviour.
-Burke emphasised need for moral guidance & structure in society, with longstanding institutions like the church.
-also see humans as psychologically imperfect -influenced by emotions not logic & reason -results in impulsive decisions & shortsightedness
-due to this -believe the state should act in a protective manner & support citizens to make rational decisions.
-human nature -intellectually imperfect -limited capacity to rationalise - inc. recognising the complexity of society & LT consequences of actions & policies
-so are wary of radical changes -tradition & pragmatic approach to social & political change.
Oakeshott- boat analogy -argued governance like sailing requires careful, constant adjustments to keep the ship afloat rather than trying to take off towards an unknown destination.
how does new rights views on human imperfection differ?
-humans not imperfect rather rational & self interested - +ve as it allows for self improvement.
-disagree w traditional/1 nation beliefs on paternalism & guidance, instead they put great responsibility on individuals.
-rand argued self interest & pursing ones own happiness benefited society & was the highest moral pursuit.
-Rand argued alturism diminishes individual freedom & success as it makes recipients dependant.
virtue of selfishness - ‘a man who attempts to live for others is a dependent’
disagree on whether society and communities are important when guiding human nature
-traditional cons believe imperfections in human nature can be limited with tradition & guidance
-humans -imperfect but nature can be shaped positively w right social and moral framework.
Oakeshott - human behaviour - ‘noisy, foolish & flawed’ whilst also having the potential to be ‘benign & benevolent’ when framed by the right customs & institutions.
-while humans are intellectually & psychologically imperfect their actions aren’t inherently evil or destructive.
so emphasis on traditional institutions -fam, church to shape human potential for goodness and decency
Burke - ‘little plantoons’ - smaller communities that provide ppl w a sense of belonging and security.
plantoons essential in providing guidance to humans preventing human imperfection from becoming destructive.
how does new right cons differ on society and communities influencing human nature
-society -atomistic - a loose connection of individuals who should all be left alone
-emphasis on individual self interest leads to support for a limited role of the state in econ and social affairs.
-excessive state intervention undermines individual freedom
rather than requiring moral quidance they see the pursuit of self interest as the highest moral pursuit.
-govt intervention & social welfare systems create dependency & discourage self reliance.
Nozick’s theory of self ownership asserts individuals have sovereignty over their bodies & fruits of their labour so should be able to choose how they use their abilities & resources without interference from state.
overall
disagree to large extent
-despite agreement on need for a strong state overall they disagree as traditional & 1 nation cons belief on human imperfection and importance of society and communities shaping human nature are rejected by the new right which sees human tendency for self interest as beneficial to society. they also don’t believe humans need excessive state intervention or guidance as it undermines personal freedom.
