types of conservatism

Question 1

what are the different types of conservatism

Answer 1

Traditional (aftermath of french rev)
Traditional (one nation)
Traditional (response to facism)
Christian democracy
New right

Question 2

two main strands

Answer 2

traditional
new right

Question 3

traditional conservatism-aftermath of french revolution

Answer 3

change to conserve e.g support for great reform act
order and authority- Robert Peel making metro police force in london

Question 4

why did people critisice Burke

Answer 4

just explaining current society in more sophisticated way
would want it to remain becuase benefitted them

Question 5

PMs which were conservative in political practice

Answer 5

Pitt, Canning + Peel
praised evidence, supported order, didn’t like revolutionary change

Question 6

what caused the emergence of one nation

Answer 6

more demands for democracy

Question 7

important people involved in emergence of one nation

Answer 7

Disraeli, Bismarck
prioritise national unity to help the poor (ironic bc at the time that was seen as anti-monarchy as french revolutionaries were ‘patriotic’)
would fulfill paternalistic role

Question 8

what did one nation conservatism come to be associated with

Answer 8

legislation which tempered with effects of laissez faire capitalism on behalf of working class

Question 9

what legislation came about in England due to one nation conservatism

Answer 9

factory act 1874
artisan dwelling acts (restricted freedom of factory owners)

Question 10

what was Harold MacMillan’s middle way

Answer 10

saw socialism as ineviatable
middle way=address economic inequalities whilst respecting property rights (+other con themes)
more state intervention to stop socialism

Question 11

traditional conservatism- repsonse to facism

Answer 11

middle way
bigger gov
had to appeal to working class extension of franchise
argued support for state welfare=updated capitalist paternalism

Question 12

Christian democracy

Answer 12

variant of traditional conservatism
facism affected continental europe
post war european conservatism

Question 13

christian democracy+traditional conservatism overlaps

Answer 13

judeo-christian morality binds people
authority+heirarchy
social con
sceptical on free markets
acceptance of large state post war

Question 14

what makes christian democracy distinct from british conservatism

Answer 14

supranational- authority cuts across national borders
came about from bad experiences with nationalism in the war (germany+nazism)
worked because of influence of roman catholics (practice supranational authority)

Question 15

what is the new right a merger between

Answer 15

neo liberalism
neo conservatism

Question 16

Conservatism is a ruling class ideology YES

Answer 16

Burke ‘father of conservatism’ defended aristocracy after French rev
Cons defend inequality, privelage+property
Stress on tradition- stops position of ruling class being challenged

Question 17

Conservatism is a ruling class ideology NO

Answer 17

Purpose of cons is order which appeals to all sections of society
Love for custom echoes in all parts of society
Traditional cons promote interests of the poor
New right =meritocratic

Question 18

Conservatism is the politics of pragmatism YES

Answer 18

Always said should be based on what is not what should be
Primed itself on flexibility
Pragmatism shown by different policies e.g Peel’s support for laissez faire and Macmillan backing Keynesian

Question 19

Conservatism is the politics of pragmatism NO

Answer 19

Not philosophically neutral e.g slow change over fast
Reject revolution not to stop change but to protect a society based on certain principle e.g private property

Question 20

Conservatism is compatible with capitalism YES

Answer 20

Based on private property which cons support
Generates inequality
Been heart of economies for centuries so traditional
Gives ruling class wealth to help poor (paternalism)
Extend private property for individual freedom

Question 21

Conservatism is compatible with capitalism NO

Answer 21

Creates economic+social divisions-threatens ‘one nation’
Volatile so threat to stability
Promotes meritocracy which challenges ruling class

Question 22

Conservatism can be reconciled with socialism YES

Answer 22

Both play down individualism
Stress communities
Traditional cons+socialist see capitalism as problematic

Question 23

Conservatism can be reconciled with socialism NO

Answer 23

Cons like inequality
Cons sceptical of progress, to socialists=essential
Cons defend private property
Cons reject revolution
Socialist don’t like paternalism