human imperfection Flashcards
human imperfection is a key principle of con thought arguing that
humans are flawed which makes them incapable of making good decisions for themselves , very different from liberals optimistic interpretation
this idea can be first seen in Hobbes ‘ leviathan ‘ which set out the belief that in the absence of a strong state , human life would inevitably
fall into a state of conflict / competition for resources and power
it would be “ solitary , poor , nasty , brutish and short “
Hobbes view on human imperfection was due to his belief that humans are ruthless , calculating and inherently driven buy their basic interests for survival and self interest thus leading to
them conflicting with each other in the absence of a strong state
Hobbes view in ‘ leviathan ‘ set the foundation for cons beliefs in the necessity of
guiding authority to maintain order and stability
cons believed that human nature and imperfection was a constant and that politicians therefore
need to accommodate it rather then they to alter it
cons identidfied three main aspects of human imperfection ;
psychological
moral
intellectual
psychological imperfection
cons posits humans are influenced by their emotions fears and desires , rather than by logic and reason like liberals suggest
- as a result cons argue the importance of established norms and traditions , that help guide decision making
moral imperfection
cons maintain that humans are naturally inclined towards self interest and can act morally , especially in the pursuit of personal gain or survival , this can lead to actions that harm others or disrupt social harmony .
- cons thus stress the role of strong institutions and legal frameworks to install values to curb immoral behaviour .
intellectual imperfection
cons argue that human beings have limitations in their understanding and capacity to rationalise.icnludes recognising the complexity and interconnectivity of societal systems as well as foreseeing the long term consequences of actions and policies. cons are wary of radical changes or the implementation of theoretically perfect but untested ideas.
prefer incremental reforms based on empirical evidence and tradition , a pragmatic approach to social and political change that respects the complexity and unpredictability of human society
the view of human imperfection significantly influences conservative perspectives on the
state economy and society
the view on human imperfection underpins their support for a strong but responsible state which is seen as
necessary to provide the guidance , authority and structure needed to counteract these human flaws
in the economy this translates to a preference for the proven and traditional
capitalist system over radical or untested theories
in society it translates to the cons caution towards rapid social change and preference for
gradual , organic development for respects tradition
thus for cons it also also justifies conservative endorsement of hierarchy and paternalism as they believe that natural human imperfections neccestiate a
structured social order where guidance and leadership from established authorities or elites help maintain stability and moral direction in society
traditional conservatisms interpretation of human imperfection is deeply influenced by
Christian teachings about original sin and ability of man
traditional cons perspective was central to work of Burke who emphasised the need for
moral guidance and structure in society provided by long established institutions such as the church which he viewed as crucial in instilling values and moral education
traditional cons believed that this inherent human imperfection necessitates a
stable hierarchal social order
traditional cons argued that people are not inherently equipped to make decisions sole based on
reason and individual judgement thus requiring the guidance and authority of customs and established institutions
traditional con Burke in ‘ reflections on the revolution in France ‘ wrote
” men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites “
traditional cons weren’t as pessimistic about human nature as Hobbes and believed that these imperfections can be
mitigated through the influence of tradition and proper guidance
this perspective from trad cons represents a slight departure from Hobbes bleak view of human nature as
irrevocable self interested and conflict prone in the absence of a strong state
traditional cons believed that humans are imperfect but their nature can be shaped positively within
the right social and moral framework
traditional con Oakeshott described human behaviour as
” noisy , foolish and flawed “
- a less pessimistic view than Hobbes
Oakeshott’s description suggested that while humans are fallible and often intelectually and psychological imperfect their
actions and nature are not inherently morally evil , malevolent or destructive
