DEWFALL - CONSERVATISM Flashcards
which three things influenced the creation of conservatism?
- glorious revolution
- enlightenment
- french revolution
what was the enlightenment?
- individualist ideas brought further into society
who is the father of conservatism?
- Edmund Burke
how did the French Revolution influence the creation of conservatism?
- extreme changes with the aim of liberty, left disorder and a favouring of small systematic changes
what do conservatives think about human nature?
- humans are imperfect that is fixed and constant, emotional > rational
who said this?
“nasty, brutish and short”
Thomas Hobbes
what did Burke say about achievement?
- there is a chasm (gap) between achievement and desire
what 3 things influence how we behave according to Burke?
- custom
- habit
- experience
are humans capable of kindness?
- according to Burke, yes, as long as it’s rooted in history, tradition and the christian church
humans are more communal,
true or false
- true, humans gain comfort from small communities
how did Michael Oakeshott update Burke’s theory?
- conservatism is more psychology than ideology
how did Robert Nozick update Burke’s theory?
- highlight the yearning for individual freedom and free enterprise
how did Ayn Rand update Burke’s theory?
- human nature is driven by self-interest
what is localism?
- society is a collection of small communities
- Burke called these “little platoons”
- these provide security, status and inspiration
what is organicism?
- society emerges gradually and naturally
- view society as a plant growing in unpredictable ways
what is empiricism?
- preference for evidence over theory
- deal with society practically, not concerned with future society
what does it mean to view society normatively?
- “this is how it is” mindset
- how society ought to be
how does tradition effect conservatism?
- conservative society heavily relies of tradition
- customs form security in an uncertain world
- change should thus be slow
how does hierarchy effect conservatism?
- imperfections of human nature make people inequal
- (Burke) “the wiser, stronger and more opulent (rich)” establish a hierarchy of power and privilege
- the above should take care of the weaker in a father-child way
what is Judeo-Christian morality?
- strong attachment to religion and belief in original sin
- emphasis on ethics of Judaism and Christianity
- “dysfunctional individuals are not the products of dysfunctional societies”
- marriage, accountablity etc
what beliefs do conservatives have about property?
- property is inherited, providing stability
(“partnership between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are yet to be born” - Burke) - property ownerships = stake in society
- (NEW RIGHT) wish to have a property owning democracy
what do conservatives believe about the state?
- state serves a disciplinary function
- no order without liberty
- state precedes society
- individual rights dependent on law and order
conservatives are —- likely to demand a codified constitution . why?
- less
- evolution over revolution
what do conservatives have to say about the class system?
- there is a ruling class
- hierarchical state which acknowledges aristocratic and hereditary ruling class
what is the nation-state ?
- all conservatives agree the nation is a mega-community
- European conservatives believe that the nation came to be before the state
- British and American conservatives believe the state and nation are intertwined
- “when a nation become flabby, it becomes feeble” Ayn Rand
- new right believe nation-state functions should be streamlined to ensure efficiency
what are the conservative views on the economy?
- capitalism nurtures the economic inequalities
- conservatives like order and stability which the free market cannot offer
- assault on capitalism is an assault on property
- protectionism (state and economy protected by state-imposed tariffs and tax duties)
- neoliberals influenced Reaganomics and Thatcherism in the 80s
- including privatisation, tax reduction and stronger police
what are the main types of conservatism?
- traditional
- new right
name some tory prime ministers who were essentially traditional conservatives
- William Pitt
- George Canning
- Robert Peel
what was the name of Burke’s famous book?
- Reflections on the Revolutions in France
what did Burke think of the French revolution?
- claimed the idealistic society represented by the French revolution was unrealistic and based on a utopia
- ## condemned the disregard for history and tradition
give an example of George Canning’s significant actions/achievements as pm
- supported catholic emancipation
- championed abolishment of slavery as it brought property ownership into disrepute
give an example of Robert Peel’s significant actions/achievements as pm
- supported the Great Reform Act (1832)
- ensured representation
(as home sec) - established metropolitan police force
what is fascism?
- nationalistic glorification of dictatorship with one powerful leader
- allows violence in the name of disciple and isolation
- emerged in 1920/30s
what was conservatism’s response to fascism and egalitarianism?
- the “middle way” between socialism and capitalism whilst respecting tradition, national identity and property rights
- spoke in favour of social cohesion and “one nation”
- embraced Keynesian economics
why might conservatism’s response to fascism be seen as opportunitsic?
- politicians were trying to win the working class’ votes as Labour emerges “for the people”
how might the conservative response to fascism be seen as evolutionary?
- “conservatism, unlike liberalism, has always recognised unchecked laissez faire can be destructive as well as creative” Hogg
what is one nation conservatism?
- conservatism should prioritise national unity by attending to the condition of society’s poorer classes
who advocated for one nation conservatism?
- Benjamin Disraeli (britain)
- Otto von Bismarck (germany)
what is a welfare state?
- a system where the state protects the health and well being of the people especially those in financial/social need through benefits/pensions/grants
why did conservatism develop differently outside the uk post 1945?
- revolution
- violent nationalism
- totalitarianism
- military defeat/ national humiliation
what is totalitarianism?
- the state/gov takes total control of the citizens through cohesion and repression
how is post-war conservatism similar to traditional?
- Judaeo-Christian morality
- authority and hierarchy
- sceptic of the free market
- sceptic of socially liberal causes
- acceptance of enlarged state
what is supranationalism?
- state whose authority goes across national boundaries eg Soviet Union
what are the difference between Christian democracy and traditional conservatism?
- wariness of nationalism due to Nazis/Mussolini/Franco
- experience of invasion/colonisation caused differing attitudes to national identity
- supranationalism good, like the EU
the European Christian democracy is “no nation conservatism”, who said it?
- Roger Scruton
what is new right conservatism?
- ## split between traditional and US conservatism (neo liberal and neo conservative)
what is new right conservatism?
- split between traditional and US conservatism (neo liberal and neo conservative)
- minimal gov
- free market
- traditional Christian morals
what are the new right’s criticisms for traditional conservatism?
- complicit in a declining economy
- bloated welfare state
- “feeble” country at the hands of militant trade unions
what was the crisis point in the mid-1970s?
- spiralling inflation, mounting employment, unsustainable benefit and moral laxity
what type of conservatism did Europe maintain?
Christian democracy
support the statement: conservatism is compatible with capitalism
- capitalism based on private property which conservatives support
- generates inequality, defend as natural
- heart of economics, why change?
- ruling class
support the statement: conservatism is incompatible with capitalism
- capitalism described as economic liberalism
- threatens one nation
- capitalism is volatile and dynamic
- tends towards globalisation > national identity
- meritocracy challenging hereditary ruling class
what do neo-liberals, Nozick and Rand, want?
- drastic tax reduction
- tighter control of gov spending
- end of dependency culture
- neutering of trade unions
what do neo-conservatives want?
- tougher approach to law and order
- less conciliatory approach to national defence
- less tolerance to immigration
- reverse policy on “liberal/progressive” causes (abortion etc)
- promotion of traditional family structures
what are the criticisms of new right conservatism?
- neo libs what to “roll back the frontiers of the state” (Thatcher privatisation eg), neo cons want to do the opposite (Thatcher restrictions on trade unions) therefore contradictions
- more examples include: advancing (neolib) v restricting (neocon) individual liberty, relaxed (neolib) v fear (neocon) immigration
who are the key thinkers?
- Thomas Hobbes
- Edmund Burke
- Michael Oakeshott
- Ayn Rand
- Robert Nozick
name some new right conservatives
- Ayn Rand
- Robert Nozick
name some traditional conservatives
- Edmund Burke
- Michael Oakeshott
what are the tensions within conservatism about human nature?
- traditional: sceptic, draw attention to the gap between aspiration and achievement
- new right: emphasis the possibilities of individuals with initiative and liberty, pro capitalism which creates environment for individual growth
what are the tensions within conservatism about society?
- traditional: “little platoons”, paternalistic elites, organic, based on tradition and custom
- new right: society is a collection of individuals seeking self-determination, meritocratic > aristocratic
what are the tensions within conservatism about the state?
- traditional: “born to rule”, prepared to enlarge state in the name of social stability and “one nation”
- new right: reverse dependency culture, roll back the state, hostile to aristocratic rule
what are the tensions within conservatism about the economy?
- traditional: private ownership, sceptic of free market capitalism, cosmopolitan society erodes national identity
- new right: advocate free market, state functions are privatised and deregulated, tax and state spending reduced
