Different types of conservatism: traditional Conservatism Flashcards
What type of MP was Edmund Burke
A Whig MP
Who is Burke considered to be?
The father of Conservatism
What is Burke’s most famous work and what was it’s main argument?
In Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke showed an impassioned opposition to the French Revolution. He defined various aspects of Conservative thought like:
-imperfection
-empiricism
-organicism
-tradition
-localism
-aristocracy
What did Burke argue about human nature and what does this mean for society?
Stressed human’s imperfection as well as mankind’s fallibility an our tendency to fail. He therefore denounced an idealistic society that the French Revolution represented, claimed in was based on a utopian view of human nature
What does Burke argue about change?
While change was necessary to conserve, change should proceed on the basis of fact and experience (empiricism and tradition) rather than theory and idealism.
Why did he oppose the French revolution?
-they discarded what was known in favour of an entirely new society based on ‘philosophical abstractions’
-They disregarded history and tradition
-he hated their stress on equality, asserting in an organic society, a ruling class was inevitable and desirable
-He condemned their highly centralised structures as he arged the importance of little platoons
What was society and government akin to for Burke and why? What does this mean?
a plant as it had a mysterious dynamism. Change must therefore be cautious and organic
What caused the revolution for Burke?
The role of the ruling class was paternalism and the French aristocracy failed to do this
Arguments why Conservatism is a ruling class ideology?
-Burke constantly attacked the revolution for its egalitarianism and and he defended its aristocratic rule
-They defend property, privilege and inequality
-Conservative paternalism is just a way to make inequality and elitism palatable
-The stress on tradition and change to conserve tries to prevent radical change, which is the ultimate threat to the ruling class
Arguments why Conservatism is not a ruling class ideology?
-The prime purpose of a Conservative state is order and maintenance, which appeals to all of society
-Their love of habit and familiarity echoes in all sections of society
-Traditional conservatism has frequently promoted the interests of the poor to ensure the maintenance of one nation
-The wish to avoid revolution and it’s during revolution that those lower in society suffer most
-New right conservatism is meritocratic and not aristocratic , identifying ambitious people and talent
Who were some of the early traditional Conservative (tory) Prime Ministers?
William Pitt
George Canning
Robert Peel
What principles did traditional Conservative Prime Ministers show support for?
-order and property
-antipathy for revolutionary change
-tradition
-Society consists of a small multitude of communities
-society emerged organically
-empiricism
-paternalism
-aristocratic rule
What are examples of some events Canning brought about that show traditional Conservative principles and change to conserve?
-prepared legislation that allowed Roman Catholics to participate in Parliament
-championed the abolition of slavery
-supporting demands for independence in Latin American countries
What are examples of some events Peel brought about that show traditional Conservative principles and change to conserve?
-support for the great reform act of 1832
-stablished the Metropolitan police
Which politicians were important in the emergence of one nation?
Disraeli in Britain and Otto Von Bismarck in Germany
What provoked the emergence of one nation?
socialism, with its emphasis on class conflict was a new threat to tradition and stability and so Disraeli realized that the case for orderly change would have to be refined.
What did Disraeli and Bismarck promote to bring about the idea of one nation?
At this point they realized the potential of nationalism’s Conservative potential. Conservatives embraced class differences but in a way that fostered unity rather than rupture. In one nation Conservatism all members of society were in the ‘national family’ and revolutionary politics was an attack on the nation itself
According to Disraeli, what was the role of the aristocracy?
they had a paternalistic duty to ‘elevate the condition of the people’. When this happened, people could live in harmony as Disraeli argued, ‘The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy’.
How did Disraeli try to spread one nation Conservatism?
the endorsed state sponsored social reform - laissez fair individualism, like class based socialism, was a threat to the one nation. This made conservatism of the late 1800s associated with legislation that tempered effects of capitalism, on the behalf of the nation’s working class
What are some examples of Disraeli’s and Bismarck’s legislation?
Factory Act 1874
Artisan Dwellings Act 1875
They restricted the freedom of landlords and factory owners
Bismarck created the first welfare state
What were the two main events in the 1900s that reshaped political events?
-spread of socialism and communism after WW1 and the emergence of fascism prior to WW2
What does one national actually mean?
denotes a belief that Conservatism should prioritize national unity by attending to the conditions of the society’s poorer class. It has been used by Conservatives to justify greater state intervention
What is the ideology of egalitarianism?
an ideology enfolding socialism and communism
What was the biggest threat of egalitarianism to the UK?
the soviet union
