Key thinkers Flashcards
1
Q
Who are the 5 key thinkers ?
A
- Hobbes
- Oakeshott
- Burke
- Rand
- Nozick
2
Q
Burke key quotes
A
- “change to preserve”
- “little platoons”
- “Acknowledge nurture and prune … the crooked timers of humanity”
- “a state without means of change is without means of conservation”
3
Q
Burke’s views on the economy ?
A
- Laissez faire economics
- Pro-capitalism
- Trade should involve organic free markets
4
Q
What strand of conservatism is Burke ?
A
- Traditional
5
Q
Burke’s view on the state ?
A
- The state arises organically and should be aristocratic driven, driven by the hereditary elite who are reared to rule the interests of all
- Believes in noblesse oblige that the elite should have paternal instincts and look after all
- “change to conserve”
- Change should be organic and cautious
6
Q
Burke’s view on human nature ?
A
- Humans are intellectually imperfect
- Stressed mankind’s fallibility and its tendency to fail more than succeed
- Sceptical view of human nature
7
Q
Burke’s view on society ?
A
- Society isn’t static so it is sometimes necessary for “change to preserve”
- Human nature is imperfect so naturally societies are also imperfect
- Society is organic meaning it evolves and emerges gradually over time
- Belief in empiricism (reliance of knowledge from the past) - “society is a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are yet to be born”
- Argued against the FR for it’s highly centralised structures and instead praised a society of “little platoons” with small autonomous communities
- Emphasis on tradition eg customs and beliefs are passed through each generation
8
Q
What strand is Hobbes ?
A
Traditional conservatism
9
Q
Key quotes of Hobbes ?
A
- “nasty, brutish and short”
- “envy hatred and war”
- “power after power”
10
Q
Hobbes’ view on society ?
A
- Mankind would realise the state of nature is inimical (tendency to self destruct) to self interest so would agree to a social contract
- Society would be created through laws which allowed order and security
11
Q
Hobbes’ view on Human nature ?
A
- Extremely negative
- State of nature would be “nasty, brutish and short”
- Humans are not wholly irrational as they seek “power after power”
12
Q
Hobbes’s view on the economy ?
A
- A state is necessary as constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security
13
Q
Hobbes’ view on the state ?
A
- The state arises from a ‘social contract’
- Without the restrictions of formal authority relations between humans would be marked by ‘hatred, envy and war’
- The state would have to be autocratic, if power were dispersed then there wold be conflict, this would create order and security
14
Q
Key quotes of Oakeshott
A
- “imperfect but not immoral”
- “state exists to prevent the bad rather than to good”
- “not so much nasty, brutish and short … but noisy, foolish and flawed”
- “In the kitchen cook books are only useful after preparing the meal”
- the world is “boundless and bottomless”
15
Q
What strand is Oakeshott ?
A
- One nation conservatism
16
Q
Oakeshott’ view on society ?
A
- localised communities are essential to humanity’s survival especially when guided by short term requirements rather than abstract ideas
- society is one that aims to stay afloat in uncertain waters rather than sail steadily to a specific destination
17
Q
Oakeshott’s view on human nature ?
A
- Human nature is “fragile + fallible” yet also “benign and benevolent” when framed by routine, familiarity and religious principles
- Argues “politics of faith” where rationalism is beyond the ability of humans as we are intellectually imperfect
18
Q
Oakeshott’s view on the economy ?
A
- Free markets are volatile and unpredictable so may require pragmatic moderation by the state
- Some state intervention is necessary
19
Q
Oakeshott’s view on the state ?
A
- Life without law would be “noisy, foolish and flawed”
- The state should be guided by tradition and racial concerns
- believes in pragmatism rather than dogmatism
- Believes in empiricism meaning the changes made should be made and informed through past experiences
- Politics if scepticism as rationality is flawed so humans should put their faith in trusted tradition
- Believes in trial and error “in the kitchen cook books are only ireful after preparing the meal”
- “the state exists to prevent the bad rater than the good”
20
Q
What strand is Rand ?
A
- Neo-liberal (New Right)
21
Q
Rand’s key quotes ?
A
- “Right to choose”
- “the small state is the strong state”
22
Q
What strand is Nozick ?
A
- Neo-liberal
23
Q
What are Nozick’s key quotes ?
A
- “tax for the most part is theft”
24
Q
Rand’s view on human nature ?
A
- ‘objectivist’ meaning we are and ought to be guided by rational self-interest and the pursuit of self-fulfilment
25
Q
Rand’s view on the state ?
A
- “the small state is the strong state”
- The state should confine itself to law, order and national security
- Any attempt to promote ‘positive liberty’ via state intervention should be revisited instead a belief in negative liberty ie freedom from interference from other people eg freedom of speech
26
Q
Rand’s view on Society ?
A
- Society is atomistic and just a collection of individuals
- Any attempts to restrict individuals in the name of society should be challenged
27
Q
Rand’s view on he economy ?
A
- Free-market capitalism is an expression of objectivist individualism and shouldn’t be hindered by the state
- Free markets and laissez faire economics need the parameters of a small state
28
Q
Nozick’s view on human nature ?
A
- Egoistical where individuals are driven by a quest for ‘self ownership’ allowing them to reach there full potential
- Optimistic as individuals are the sole authors for their talents
29
Q
Nozick’s view on the economy ?
A
- “tax for the most part is theft”
- Minarchist state should merely oversee disputes between private economic organisations
- There should be a privatised and deregulated economy
30
Q
Nozick’s view of the state ?
A
- Believes the state should merely be a night watchman (limited powers and its role is to protect citizens against fraud etc)
- the state should be minarchist (bare minimum) and should outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services
- The growth of government is the greatest contemporary threat to individual freedom
31
Q
Nozick’s vouw on society ?
A
- Society should be geared to individual self-fulfilment
- May lead to a plethora of small, variable communities which reflect their members diverse tastes and philosophies
