traditional conservatism Flashcards
burkes traditional conservatism was grounded in several key principles that reflected a cautious approach to societal change and reverence of tradition he set out his case agsint
the French revolution and the principles that would come to define conservatism in “reflections on the revolution in france” published in 1790
pragmatism emphasised the importance of practical experience over abstract theorising burke believed that
decisions should be based on the accumulated wisdom of history rather than revolution and abstract ideas
Burke also set out the importance of ‘ changing to conserve’ emphasing the necessity of
careful and gradual reform to preserve the essence of traditions and institutions while adapting to contemporary needs
this reverence for tradition underscored the belief in the enduring value of established customs institutions and norms , and thus this
tradition should be maintained and learned from
property was also seen as a cornerstone of a stable society , ownership encourages responsibility and discourages
support for radical ideologies that threaten to upturn the social order
Burke also upheld the notions of hierarchy and authority viewing them as
natural and necessary for stable society
for burke societal order was not artificially constructed but rather
evolved organically akin to a living organism
this view of an organic society suggested that changes should be gradual and repspectful of the intricate relationships and
dependencies within a community
Burkes conservatism was also based on an acknowledgement of human imperfection , her argued that
human beings are fallible and limited in their capacity to understand and egineer complex social systems
the principles of pragmatism , tradition , hierarchy and authority organic society and human imperfection collectively formed the bedrock of Burkes conservative thought offering
a cautious and evolutionary approach to social and political life
traditional conservatives beliefs in the early 19th century led to conservatives in Britain strongly supporting and upholding
the monarchy and the church go England , which was seen as two key pillars of tradition and order in society
conservatives also in the 19th century also strongly supported maintain a hierarchal social structure that recognised
that the key role of the state was to maintain order and security and society
conservatives beliefs in a cohesive society can be seen in PM Peels support for
neighbourhood policing
conservatives support for hierarchy can be seen in the fact that many of them were initially opposed to the 1832 reform act which
restructured the British electoral system by redistributing parliamentary seats and expanding the electorate to include more middle class men
- conservatives saw it as disrupting social order and undermining the influence of the aristocracy
in the mid 20th century Oakeshott restated the principles and support for traditional conservatism on his essay on
’ being conservatism ‘
Oakeshott’s conservatism was anchored in the principle of pragmatism , he argued that
political action should be guided bu practical knowledge and experience rather than ideological dogmatism or theoretical abstraction
Oakeshott’s stance was a deliberate counter to the utopian visions of perfect societies prompted by both communism and fascism in the 20th century which he saw as not
only impractical but as deeply dangerous due to their tendency to justify radical and disruptive changes for the pursuit of their ideas
In “ on being conservative “ he wrote
” to conservative , then is to prefer the familiar to the unknown , to prefer the tried to the untried , fact to mystery , the actual to the possible , the limited to the unbounded … “
Oakeshott emphasised the importance of tradition he views tradition not as a static entity but as a dynamic evolving process that
encapsulates the wisdom and experience of the past
this respect for tradition was coupled with the acknowledgement of human imperfection Oakeshott recognised that
human beings are inherently limited in their knowledge and capacity to design perfect systems
Oakeshott supported the view that human imperfection was a constant and that politicians therefore
needed to accommodate it rather than to try and alter it
in “ on being conservative “ Oakeshott wrote
” the office of government is not to impose other beliefs and activities upon its subjects but to secure them in the enjoyment of what they have chosen “
this recognition led to a conservative approach that valued
cautious and gradual change that was deeply skeptical of large scale social engineering projects
