Conservativism Flashcards
Key Conservativism Idea: Pragmatism & Rejection of Utopia
Pragmatism - Practical and easily achievable ideas, not too difficult to obtain. It rejects ideology in theory and favours decisions made through experience and what ‘works.’ A flexible approach
Rejection of Utopia - Utopia is a state of perfection with no issues. Absolutely no crime, absolute equality etc. Therefore, they reject it because it is unachievable. They worry it may backfire and become way worse than it was before.
Change to conserve
Key Conservativism Idea: Tradition and Status Quo
Traditions become traditions by being here for a long period of time, therefore working.
Why can they not continue to work? Why change if it might risk being worse?
If we are not in chaos we should keep what we have (status quo) unless its fundamentally failing.
Key Conservativism Idea: Social Order
Keeping society functioning properly and efficiently. Obeying law, participating in society and obeying authority.
Conservatives believe we need a hierarchy to have social order.
They prioritise social order and authority because you believe social nature is inherently bad and hierarchy is needed to keep order.
Key Conservativism Idea: Hierarchy
Having smaller groups of people making important decisions instead of everyone being involved.
Necessary for social order as we are inherently bad
Some people obtain more power and this gives motivations to move up the ladder.
Other ideologies disregard hierarchy as necessary for social order because they believe it will happen based on good human nature.
Key Conservativism Idea: Authority
Legitimately holding power
Conservatives believe this relies on consent.
You give consent to authoruty and they make rules on your behalf and you must abide by them as their authority is legitimate.
Key Conservativism Idea: Paternalism
A concentration of power in authority
Authority comes from being older, wiser and more experienced.
Conservatives believes in the qualities that are normally found in men/fathers such as leadership, discipline and authority.
Key Conservativism Idea: Organic State or society
The conservative perspective upon society stems from their support of evolutionary change.
They view society as an organism that emerges and evolves gradually over time in order to meet the needs of its members.
Society is a natural thing that humans are part of and cannot be separated from.
Key Conservativism Idea
Burke
‘Change to Conserve’
Conservativism argues that society should adapt to changing circumstances rather than reject change outright which risks revolution or rebellion.
Key Ideology idea:
State of Nature
The hypothetical life of people before societies came into existence.
Imagining the time before organised societies and civilisation allows us to question what is true human nature and what is cultural conditioning.
Arguments in favour of tradition
Human Nature - Tradition provides humans who are weak and security seeking with a social framework to make sense of society and their place in it
Society - Long established institutions, customs and practices give communities nd nations a strong sense of identity that eencourages social cohesion.
the state - tradition= accumulated wisdom of the past. State institutions that have proved fit for purposeover time should be preserved for the benefit of future generations.
Economy - capitalist system has been proved as best system
Arguments in favour of Pragmatism
Human Nature: Humans lack the intellectual ability to fully understand the complex realities of the world. Theories that claim to explain or improve human condition could be destabilising
Society - ideas such as equality or rights are dangerous because they can lead to radical change which could produce worse conditions
The state - Pragmatic approach emphasises caution, moderation, gradualism and continuity will introduce necessary change without endangering social cohesion or stability.
The economy - One nation conservatives
Key Conservativism Idea: 3 aspects of Human Imperfection
Humans are flawed, unchanging and incapable of perfection. Everyone has a capacity for evil.
- Psychological - Humans desire the familiarity and security of knowing their place in society. Social order>Liberty
- Moral - Humans are naturally selfish beings and morally imperfect. Tough law and order system is necessary
- Intellectual - humans lack intellect to understand complex world, instead of trying to understand or predict human development we should rely on history and tradition to understand the world.
Pragmatism: Traditional and One Nation Approaches
Traditional(Burke) - argues that cautious pragmatism enables society to adapt to changing circumstances by introducing moderate reforms instead of revolutionary change. Change to conserve
One Nation Conservatives - Adopt a pragmatic ‘middle way’ economic policy that combines market competition with government regulation. They argue this promotes growth and social stability by creating wealth through private sector and generating funding for state welfare provisions
Due to the weakness of human nature. Conservatives argue that….
regarding. ..
1. The state
2. Society
3. The Economy
- The State - has to impose tough law and order policies to deter expected criminal behaviour. Pursure foreign policies based on national security not cooperation and harmony.
- Society - has to be basd on authority, hierarchy and paternalism in order to provide people with stability and security.
- The economy - Based on capitalism as a more powerful motivator than altruism since humans are self interested.
Key Thinker: Thomas Hobbes
Human Nature
Humans are moral vaccuums
Believes we are massively rational but that rationality leads to violent conflict in the state of nature.
He believes in the state of nature we would dissolve into violence because:
- Everyone is needy and vulnerable at some point
- Everyone is Equal and Diffident (cautious)
- Therefore, anyone has the ability to kill anyone
- Because of this and the fact we all want the same things but can’t have them all, we preemptively attack everyone else in order to protect ourselves.
Key Thinker: Thomas Hobbes
the State
State should be very powerful, however tyrannical to keep us from going back to the State of Nature as that is far worse
Believes in a state but only based on a social contract.
Once the contract is made it can’t be revoked.
There is no right to resistance (other than right not to be killed by sovereign)
The ruler is outside the contract, they are not limited or bound by the contract.
Gov necessary for strong and stable economy
Key Thinker: Thomas Hobbes
Society
We are all equal, if we werent equal and others were weaker then we would’t feel the need to attack others as we wouldnt be worried about their threat to us.
Ordered Society - an ordered society should balance the human need for a free life.
The existence of a state allows us to develop cultural pleasures as we are not fighting
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
Background and what he thought generally
He thought the French rev was a step backwards beacuse it went against tradition.
- Defence of Liberty
- Defence of the Rights of Defence against illegitimate governments
He defends authority in response to revolution but authority must be legitimate, so supported by popular consent and tradition
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
Role of the state in the economy
Summary Quote
Laissez-Faire Economy
It will be more productive without intervention
The supply and demand will regulate it (contrasts Hobbes)
“They who wish the destruction of that balance[…]directly lay their axe in the root of production itself.”
Distinction between Hobbes and Burke regarding Rationality
Hobbes believed in Individual Rationality
while
Burke believed in collective rationality
Burke: Habits and customs do the work of a powerful, punishing state and so replaces need for a strong gov.
Hobbes: need strong Gov
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
Rationality and habits
Contrast to Hobbes
Burke - almost a utilitarian position. Habits are not a lack of rationality but actually a use of rationality over a long period of time.
Every action a human takes may not produce the most utility but over a long run, forming habits it will produce the best social outcome, although maybe not individual.
For Hobbes, Humans are self centered and rational so just seeking out what is best for them.
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
Define Collective rationality
We have collectively unconsiously decided what is good and therefore what becomes tradition/habit.
Societies have more rationality than individuals
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
Necessity of Honour
Contrast with Hobbes
Burke believes that the economy and society can only function with trust and respect of norms.
Honour is what builds contracts and agreements and what makes business and the economy functioning possible.
Hobbes: Humans are highly egotisticale and selfish and therefore the economy cannot be ran without Gov. Honour plays no part in it.
Key Thinker: Edmund Burke
The idea of ‘community’
His theory of social contract
How those two points contract to Hobbes
Burke’s idea of the social contract completely contrasts Hobbes.
Hobbes says people should bey the law because they consented to it.
Burke says they were born into a society where they are indebted to a community which is much bigger than them.
For Burke the community is the main unit and the individual has loyalty to them.
Burke - Community > Individual
Hobbes Community < Individual
