Differing Views and Tensions Within Conservatism

Question 1

What encouraged the development of conservatism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 1

Conservatism as an ideology was prompted following the French Revolution and the overthrow of hereditary monarchy in France, with it beginning as a movement to maintain privilege, wealth, power and natural hierarchy in society.

Question 2

What are traditional (authoritarian) conservative views on human nature? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 2

Traditional conservatives take a pessimistic view of humans, arguing that they are prone to dissent and that measures should be taken to ensure order.

Question 3

What are traditional (authoritarian) conservative beliefs about society? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 3

Traditional conservatives believe that society should not be interfered with or radically altered. It should be founded on secure institutions and continuing attitudes throughout society over time.

Question 4

What are traditional (authoritarian) conservative beliefs on the state? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 4

Traditional (authoritarian) conservatives believe that the state should be governed over by powerful, natural leaders without restraint on their powers by parliaments or constitutions. Should preserve order and authority.

Question 5

What are traditional (authoritarian) conservative views on the economy? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 5

Traditional conservatives have been known to favour protectionist and nationalist policies with regards to the economy in order to maintain domestic industry. However, there is also a strand of traditional conservatism favouring laissez-faire economics and its power to promote economic inequality.

Question 6

What is populism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 6

Populism is a form of politics which does not conform to any specific ideology, instead adopting proposals which appeal to the public to create a strong political position.

Question 7

When did one-nation conservatism develop? Why? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 7

One-nation conservatism developed in the mid 19th century in response to the industrial revolution, aiming to preserve a social hierarchy and bind the whole populace together behind a single idea.

Question 8

What do one-nation conservatives believe with regards to society and their responsibilities? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 8

One-nation conservatives believe that society should be united around a collective identity shown through the ‘nation’, with those at the top of a hierarchy having an obligation to alleviate the pressures on those at the bottom of society.

Question 9

What do one-nation conservatives believe with regards to hierarchies? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 9

One-nation conservatives believe that hierarchies should be maintained both socially and economically to reward those at the height of a hierarchy and maintain privilege. However, the worst inequalities should be reduced.

Question 10

How did one-nation conservatism develop on the grounds of pragmatism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 10

One-nation instincts developed due to pragmatism in conservatism as conservatives feared the overthrow of existing hierarchies and social structures if nothing was done to alleviate socioeconomic issues impacting the working classes.

Question 11

How can there be seen to be an anti-radical strand of traditional conservatism? When? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 11

An anti-radical strand of conservatism emerged following the Second World War and the growth of socialist/fascist ideas, with this aiming to promote stable and more centrally minded political ideas.

Question 12

What were economic policies of the anti-radical strand of traditional conservatism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 12

Anti-radical traditional conservatives held economic beliefs that hinged on a mixed economy and tempered laissez-faire capitalism

Question 13

What are anti-radical traditional conservative beliefs on the state? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 13

The state should have a greater role in the intervention in the lives of individuals, looking to provide greater welfare provision and more support for those who needed it.

Question 14

How can the shift towards one-nation conservatism be seen as an opportunistic and pragmatic move? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 14

The shift towards one-nation views in the 19th and 20th centuries can be seen as an opportunistic move by conservatives in order to gain greater popular support from the working classes given that they would begin to be the electoral majority rather than landowning classes. Therefore, a shift to more paternalistic policies would assist them in winning elections.

Question 15

What are key features of Christian Democracy? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 15

Christian Democracy is largely based around socially conservative values, Judeo-Christian morality, the belief in a large and expansive welfare state and scepticism towards laissez-faire economics. They instead favour paternalism and more Keynesian approaches to economics.

Question 16

Why did Christian Democracy develop? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 16

Christian Democracy developed as a reborn form of conservatism in Continental Europe After WW2 had shown the evils of extreme conservative nationalism. This aimed to have more paternalistic roots than more right-wing forms of conservatism without the emphasis on the nation that could result in fascism.

Question 17

What is supranationalism? Why is it disliked by British and American conservatives? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 17

Supranationalism is a state of body which cuts across national borders and identities, instead focussing on regional and communal identity. British and American conservatives have opposed this as it a clear affront to nationalism as it sidelines the autonomy of one nation, instead pooling many nations together as one.

Question 18

What are key beliefs of neo-liberalism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 18

Neo-liberals advocate for low taxation, deregulation of industry, government disengagement from industry, a minimal welfare state, laissez-faire capitalism, individual enterprise

Question 19

What text underpinned the new right’s economic beliefs? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 19

Friedrich von Hayek’s ‘The Road to Serfdom’ was the main text underpinning the neoliberal beliefs of the neo-liberal new right.

Question 20

What economic policies does Hayek call for in ‘The Road to Serfdom’? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 20

Hayek argues that unemployment has a natural level (contrary to Keynesian economics), that the amount of circulated money should be controlled rather than manipulated and that interest rates should remain constant.

Question 21

Why do neo-liberals oppose welfare provision? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 21

Neo-liberals oppose welfare provision as it promotes a ‘dependency culture’ in which people rely on benefits in order to survive, rather than working hard for their own individual benefit. A welfare system also requires heavy taxation in order to work, which does not reward wealth creation.

Question 22

What is neo-conservatism? What did this branch of the new right develop in response to? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 22

Neo-conservatism is an intensely socially conservative branch of the new right, developing following the creation of a seemingly ‘permissive society’ throughout the 1960s and 70s.

Question 23

What are the main aims of neo-conservatism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 23

Neo-conservatism aims to restore traditional social values following a more liberal phase in the 60s and 70s, create a strong and authoritarian police and justice system, reduce immigration, promote a national culture and identity and create a strong military.

Question 24

What are neo-liberal beliefs on society? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 24

Neo-liberals believe that society is atomised, meaning that individuals exist on their own with few relationships and interactions between other people. They look out for their own interests rather than behaving altruistically.

Question 25

How have neo-liberals argued that free-market economics has provided social order? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 25

Free-market economics can provide social order as the lack of regulation or unionisation means that workers are submissive to their bosses (above them in a social hierarchy) as they cannot strike or push for wage increases, and therefore means that a strict and ordered social hierarchy is maintained.

Question 26

Why is the liberal new right anti-statist? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 26

The liberal new right is anti-statist due to its belief that the existence of a state restricts the liberty and empowerment of individuals. The state should therefore be minimised and provide only basic services to maximise individual liberty.

Question 27

Why do both Hayek and Friedman oppose the Keynesian methods of planned economies? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 27

Hayek and Friedman opposed a planned economy as they believed that this task was too large for any number of bureaucrats or even a whole state to undertake. They believed that the market could act as a mediator between prices and product availability to best oversee the economy.

Question 28

What are neo-conservative foreign policies? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 28

Neo-conservatives aim to have a strong military presence globally, as well as looking to impress the virtues of a national culture globally to combat the threat posed by multiculturalism.

Question 29

How is the new right compatible with the ideas of traditional conservatives? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 29

The new right has similar economic ideas to traditional conservatism in the form of free-market economics, as well as a belief in ordered social hierarchy. A strong and central authority should also be used to rule autocratically in both neo-conservative and traditional conservative thought.

Question 30

How do the ideas of the new right conflict with traditional conservatism? - Differing Views in Conservatism

Answer 30

Neo-liberalism places a much greater emphasis on global views of trade and enterprise, as well as on individualism, whereas traditional conservatism takes a more isolationist view of trade and believe in central and authoritarian power over the governed.