Key thinkers

Question 1

Who are the 5 key thinkers ?

Answer 1

1. Hobbes
2. Oakeshott
3. Burke
4. Rand
5. Nozick

Question 2

Burke key quotes

Answer 2

• “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”

Question 3

Burke’s views on the economy ?

Answer 3

• Laissez faire economics
• Pro-capitalism
• Trade should involve organic free markets

Question 4

What strand of conservatism is Burke ?

Answer 4

• Traditional

Question 5

Burke’s view on the state ?

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

Burke’s view on human nature ?

Answer 6

• Humans are intellectually imperfect
• Stressed mankind’s fallibility and its tendency to fail more than succeed
• Sceptical view of human nature

Question 7

Burke’s view on society ?

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

What strand is Hobbes ?

Answer 8

Traditional conservatism

Question 9

Key quotes of Hobbes ?

Answer 9

• “nasty, brutish and short”
• “envy hatred and war”
• “power after power”

Question 10

Hobbes’ view on society ?

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

Hobbes’ view on Human nature ?

Answer 11

• Extremely negative
• State of nature would be “nasty, brutish and short”
• Humans are not wholly irrational as they seek “power after power”

Question 12

Hobbes’s view on the economy ?

Answer 12

• A state is necessary as constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security

Question 13

Hobbes’ view on the state ?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Key quotes of Oakeshott

Answer 14

• “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”

Question 15

What strand is Oakeshott ?

Answer 15

• One nation conservatism

Question 16

Oakeshott’ view on society ?

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

Oakeshott’s view on human nature ?

Answer 17

• 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

Question 18

Oakeshott’s view on the economy ?

Answer 18

• Free markets are volatile and unpredictable so may require pragmatic moderation by the state
• Some state intervention is necessary

Question 19

Oakeshott’s view on the state ?

Answer 19

• 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”

Question 20

What strand is Rand ?

Answer 20

• Neo-liberal (New Right)

Question 21

Rand’s key quotes ?

Answer 21

• “Right to choose”

- “the small state is the strong state”

Question 22

What strand is Nozick ?

Answer 22

• Neo-liberal

Question 23

What are Nozick’s key quotes ?

Answer 23

• “tax for the most part is theft”

Question 24

Rand’s view on human nature ?

Answer 24

• ‘objectivist’ meaning we are and ought to be guided by rational self-interest and the pursuit of self-fulfilment

Question 25

Rand’s view on the state ?

Answer 25

• “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

Question 26

Rand’s view on Society ?

Answer 26

• Society is atomistic and just a collection of individuals

- Any attempts to restrict individuals in the name of society should be challenged

Question 27

Rand’s view on he economy ?

Answer 27

• 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

Question 28

Nozick’s view on human nature ?

Answer 28

• 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

Question 29

Nozick’s view on the economy ?

Answer 29

• “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

Question 30

Nozick’s view of the state ?

Answer 30

• 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

Question 31

Nozick’s vouw on society ?

Answer 31

• 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