coservatism origins Flashcards
1
Q
what are the origins of conservatism?
A
- it is a by product of the enlightenment
- while neither hobbes nor burke wished to halt or reverse the enlightnement, as suggested by wollstonecraft or crosland, they were concerned that its persuit would have dire consequences
- hobbes was especially keen to ensure that, when a traditional model of government is scrapped, its replacement quickly gurantees public safety.
- hobbes c;aimed that, without such gurantees, lofty notion ssuch as liberty, tolerance, and reason are illusory and unsustainable
- edmund burke offered a further important caveat to enlightenment thinking, that progress requires not just a passion for improvement but also a respect for tradition and experience
- in summary, conservatism does not come from wither a rejection of the enlgihtenemnt or a rejection of ‘progress’ generally, instead it is rooted in a wish to ensure that progress is compatible with both experience and security.
