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Politics > YR 2 - core ideology: CONSERVATISM > Flashcards

YR 2 - core ideology: CONSERVATISM Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 main branches of conservatism?

A

traditional, one nation, the new right

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2
Q

Who is named the FATHER of (traditional) conservatism?

A

Edmund Burke

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3
Q

What book did Edmund Burke write 1790 ?

A

Edmund Burke Reflections on the Revolution in France

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4
Q

How did Burke criticise the French Revolution?

A

He said the French government were at fault for not being willing to change, even minorly. you must ‘change in order to conserve’.

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5
Q

what 20th century Prime Minister is famously associated with one nation conservatism?

A

Benjamin Disraeli

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6
Q

what revolution had divided England into ‘two nations’ ? which created one nation conservatism?

A

the industrial revolution

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7
Q

what was the economic state in the 1970s?

A

STAGFLATION = slow growing economy + high inflation

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8
Q

who headed the 1979 conservative faction and what was it called?

A

Margaret Thatcher - The New Right

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9
Q

what type of economic structure did the new right / Thatcher endorse?

A

free market / Laissez faire capitalism. inspired by classical liberals like Adam Smith. Low taxation, low regulation, low intervention

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10
Q

name as many key principles of traditional conservatism as possible.

A

pragmatism, tradition, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy, authority, paternalism, property, empiricism

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11
Q

what does it mean to be pragmatic? < key principle of traditional conservatism

A

dealing with things sensibly + realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

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12
Q

what is empiricism? < key principle of traditional conservatism

A

evidence based thinking, testable, observable knowledge

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13
Q

why do conservatives value tradition? < key principle of traditional conservatism

A

-believe it is “accumulated wisdom of the past”
-institutions + practices have survived through time because they work.
-tradition makes people feel connected to something bigger, a sense of belonging
-change gives us insecurity

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14
Q

in what 3 ways do conservatives believe human beings are imperfect? < key principle of traditional conservatism

A

1) psychologically limited - we’re drawn to the safe + the familiar. prefer order to disorder. seek the security of knowing ‘our place’.
2) intellectually limited - the world is simply too complex for human reason to fully grasp. we are fallible (make mistakes) & irrational
3) morally imperfect - humankind is innately SELFISH + GREEDY

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15
Q

what is the concept of the organic society that conservatives believe in and prioritise? > key principle of traditional conservatism

A
  • society emerged NATURALLY + wasn’t made by humanity
  • people can’t exist separately from society, + society provides individuals with a sense of security.
    -society should be seen as a living thing, an organism, that needs caring for to keep it healthy and alive
  • leads into the idea of a ‘natural aristocracy / hierarchy’
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16
Q

explain conservative views regarding hierarchy > key principle of traditional conservatism

A

-society is NATURALLY hierarchic
-power, status + property are always unequally distributed - natura authority
-social equality doesn’t exist
-working class = lower wages + livings standards, but less responsibility
-upper class = better wages + livings standards, but more responsibility

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17
Q

explain conservative views regarding authority > key principle of traditional conservatism

A

-authority promotes social cohesion by giving people a clear sense of how they ‘fit in’ and what is expected of them
-the state must be paternalistic over society

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18
Q

what does it mean to be paternalistic > key principle of traditional conservatism

A
  • to provide for and protect.
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19
Q

name as many one nation conservative principles as possible.

A

pragmatism, tradition, organic society, authority, hierarchy, human imperfection

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20
Q

how is one nation pragmatism different to traditional pragmatism?

A

one nation emphasises ‘change in order to conserve’

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21
Q

what famous quote did Benjamin Disraeli say regarding ‘change in order to conserve’ ?

A

“The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy”

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22
Q

how is one nation tradition different to traditional tradition?

A

one nation emphasises GRADUAL change to be delivered by the state to keep things the same

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23
Q

what do one nation conservatives believe about the organic society principle?

A

it represents them everything within the two nations (rich/poor) is interdependent. Disraeli believed that the problems created by capitalism were everyone’s responsibility. The wealthy must bear the burden of social responsibility.

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24
Q

explain the one nation principle of NOBLESSE OBLIGE

A

obligation of the nobles (rich) to look after the least well - off.

25
Q

how is one nation paternalism different to traditional paternalism?

A

soft paternalism - don’t believe that the state knows best. Instead, the state can look after the poor, support + protect them. less authoritarian.

26
Q

how is one nation human imperfection different to traditional human imperfection?

A

1) psychologically limited - people need security from tradition (traditionalist) vs people need security from patriotism (one nation)
2) intellectually limited - humans are fallible + irrational (traditionalist) vs humans are pragmatic + paternalistic (one nation)
3) morally imperfect - humans are innately selfish + greedy (traditionalist) vs the working class is flawed (one nation)

27
Q

Who are the 3 key thinkers for One Nation Conservatism?

A

-Thomas Hobbes
-Edmund Burke
-Michael Oakeshott

28
Q

Who was Thomas Hobbes? What was his book called?

A

English political philosopher - book: Leviathan (1651)

29
Q

what did Thomas Hobbes believe about the natural state of nature?

A

-it was a state of war
-‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’

30
Q

what did Thomas Hobbes believe about human nature?

A

-humans are naturally competitive + aggressive
-humans are in a ‘perpetual and restless desire for power after power that ceases only in death’

31
Q

what type of state did Thomas Hobbes want?

A

-a large authoritarian state is necessary to prevent the collapse of social order
-an ‘absolute sovereign’ / ‘leviathan’

32
Q

What was Thomas Hobbes’ social contract theory?

A

-the relationship between the rulers and the ruled = contracted
-however once people decide to accept that sovereign power, they have given consent to be ruled authoritarianly
-the people can only disobey / challenge the state if they fail to protect the people

33
Q

what did Edmund Burke believe about tradition?

A

-he was fully committed to the idea of tradition
-‘society is indeed a contract’ with ‘those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are yet to be born’ - duty of care to follow + pass on tradition

34
Q

what did Edmund Burke believe about about organicism ?

A

he believed in organic society and a natural hierarchy. Family, Church and local community is key for humans. believed in natural aristocracy - ‘born to rule’.

35
Q

what did Burke believe about how political change should be executed?

A

believed that political change should be done organically (naturally) and with caution. Done pragmatically.

36
Q

Through what century was Oakeshott alive?

A

20th century. 1901-1990

37
Q

What did Oakeshott believe about human nature?

A

-psychologically, intellectually , moral imperfect
- humans are not rational, the world is too complex for us to grasp. ‘anti-rational’

38
Q

What did Oakeshott believe about the role of the state?

A
  • can be small as only needs to uphold traditions and make decisions upon empiricism and pragmatism
    -sceptical of a big state
  • the state can successfully conduct politics if it accommodates existing traditions
    -the world is complicated thus we should be suspicious of leaders who claim they can pilot the ship to a specific destination
39
Q

What 2 ideologies are combined to create the NEW RIGHT strand of conservatism?

A

neoliberalism + neoconservatism

40
Q

what sectors are neoliberalism and neoconservatism useful for in the New Right Conservatism?

A

neoliberalism - economic
neoconservatism - social

41
Q

what are the 4 main policies of neoliberalism (the new right) ?

A

-privatisation
-spending cuts
-tax cuts
-deregulation

42
Q

describe the general social views of neoconservatives. (New Right conservatism)

A
  • fear of social breakdown which was seen as a product of the spread of permissiveness
    -anti permissiveness
    -support for a strong state
43
Q

what is meant by anti permissiveness?

A

anti - wokeness
a rejection of permissiveness
permissiveness –> the belief that people should make their own moral choices, suggesting there is no objective right + wrong. ‘woke’

44
Q

NAME the 3 reasons that neoconservatives desire a strong state

A

1) social order
2) public morality
3) national identity

45
Q

summarise neoconservatives views on social order. (New Right conservatism)

A
  • delinquency + rising crime are a consequence of a decline of authority
    -emphasis on the family - it is a unit of natural hierarchy and natural authority. prefer nuclear family
    -single parent families, divorce, abortion etc has encouraged a decline in morality.
    -welfare = dependency
    -wants to be tough on crime. doesn’t care about CAUSES of crime
46
Q

summarise neoconservatives views on public morality. (New Right conservatism)

A

-oppose permissiveness as it can lead to ‘evil’ views
-moral pluralism is threatening as it undermines the cohesion of society
- eg Thatcher and clause 28

47
Q

summarise neoconservatives views on national identity. (New Right conservatism)

A

-Nation - binds society together, gives a common culture / identity
-oppose multiculturalism + has desire to limit immigration

48
Q

what other political strand inspires the New Right economically?

A

LIBERTARIANISM
-believe in negative liberty + individual freedom

49
Q

Give an example of a key Libertarian thinker

A
  • Ayn Rand
  • Robert Nozick
50
Q

What was Ayn Rand’s philosophy?

A

OBJECTIVISM
- rational and ethical egoism
-radical individualism / atomism
- free market capitalism, limited state
-positive view of human nature

51
Q

What were Ayn Rand’s key principles?

A

REASON , CAPITALISM, SELF - INTEREST / SELFISHNESS

52
Q

How does Rand contribute to New Right conservatism?

A

economically / neoliberally

53
Q

Why did Rand favour free market capitalism?

A

-the rights of the individual to use their own mind, act on their own judgement, and work for their values and keep the product of their labour

54
Q

Who is Robert Nozick’s work a reaction to?

A

John Rawls - veil of ignorance

55
Q

What does Nozick believe about rights?

A
  • all individuals have self - ownership ; owners of their own body, mind and abilities
  • individuals have rights that existed before any social contract or state.
56
Q

What are Nozick’s 2 key principles?

A

rationalism + liberty

57
Q

what did Nozick believe about tax, and the state?

A
  • ‘taxation of earnings is on par with forced labour’
    -desire for a minimalist but strong state : protection of person, property + contract
58
Q

Who are the 5 key thinkers for conservatism as a whole?

A

-Thomas Hobbes
-Edmund Burke
-Michael Oakeshott
-Ayn Rand
-Robert Nozick

59
Q

What additional thinkers could be mentioned in conservatism essays?

A

-Benjamin Disraeli
-Margaret Thatcher

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