DEBATES

Question 1

IS CONSERVAISM A RULING CLASS IDEOLOGY - YES

Answer 1

• burke attacked french rev and defended aristocratic rule
• always defends properly privilege and inequality
• paternalism is simply in order to maintain position
• stress on tradition and gradual change prevents radical change

Question 2

IS CONSERVATISM A RULING CLASS IDEOLOGY - NO

Answer 2

• prime purpose is maintenance of order, appeals to everyone
• love of customs and tradition is supported in all sections of society
• promotes interests of the poor eg one nation
• wishes to avoid revolution as it is often the most vunerable that suffer in periods of chaos
• new right is meritocratic

Question 3

IS CONSERVATISM MERELY THE POLITICS OF PRAGMATISM - YES

Answer 3

• burke attacked abstract philosophy
• empirical approach - based on what is not what should be
• prides itself on flexibility
• shown by different policies eg robert peel laissez faire, harold macmillan keynesian
• oakshott said it was a getting by approach to politics - no long term objectives

Question 4

IS CONSERVATISM MERELY THE POLITICS OF PRAGMATISM - NO

Answer 4

• based on theory that slow change is preferable to radical change
• rejects revolution as to protect society
• psychology rather than ideology

Question 5

IS CONSERVATISM COMPATIBLE WITH CAPITALISM - YES

Answer 5

• capitalism based on private property
• generates inequality - organic and natural
• tradition
• provides ruling class with wealth for paternalism

Question 6

IS CONSERVATISM COMPATIBLE WITH CAPITALISM - NO

Answer 6

• focuses on individuals rather than communities
• creates economic and social divides that threaten one nation
• dynamic and volatile, threatening stability
• tends to push globalisation, threatening national identity
• promotors meritocracy that challenges ruling classes

Question 7

CAN CONSERVATISM BE RECONCILED WITH SOCIALISM - YES

Answer 7

TRAD CON CAN
- play down individualism
- stress importance of communities
- stress importance of unity
- see capitalism as problematic
- sceptical of meritocracy, highlighting fate and chance

Question 8

CAN CONSERVATISM BE RECONCILED WITH SOCIALISM - NO

Answer 8

• con see inequality as natural, soc see it as unacceptable
• con sceptical of progress, soc see as essential
• private property
• revolution
• paternalism

Question 9

WAS BREXIT CONSERVATIVE - YES

Answer 9

• being in the EU was against tradition
• restored national self governance and identity
• immigration concerns
• EU not organic
• large state

Question 10

WAS BREXIT CONSERVATIVE - NO

Answer 10

• leaving eu was a radical change
• rejected davcams renegotiated membership meaning no gradual change
• rejected an arrangement which worked for years
• leaving eu was tired to a faith in laissez faire capitalism
• threatened one nation as encouraged racism