What are the strands of conservatism?
Traditional conservatism
New right conservatism (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism)
One nation conservatism (no key thinker)
Hierarchy
Societal structure that gives authoritative leaders legitimacy , those below the ruling class in hierarchy are obliged to obey
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What are the strands of conservatism?
Traditional conservatism
New right conservatism (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism)
One nation conservatism (no key thinker)
Hierarchy
Societal structure that gives authoritative leaders legitimacy , those below the ruling class in hierarchy are obliged to obey
Authority
Those in higher positions in society are best suited to make decisions on society's behalf.
Change to conserve
That society should adapt to changing circumstances with small modifications rather than reject change outright and risk rebellion and/or revolution.
Atomism
A society that exists as a loose connection of self-interested and self-sufficient individuals.
Noblesse Oblige
The duty of society's elite to look after the less fortunate.
Anti-permissiveness
A rejection of permissiveness (Judeo-Christian understandings of right and wrong), instead believing that people should make their own moral choices, suggesting there is no objective right and wrong.
Radical
Belief in ideas that favour drastic political, economic and social change.
Human imperfection (IMP)
Traditional conservatives believe humans are flawed intellectually, morally and psychologically.
Intellectually - Limited rational capacity
Morally - Tainted by original sin and find it hard to resist temptation
Psychologically - Need to feel safe and secure
Laissez-faire
A preference for minimal government intervention in the economy.
Empiricism
The idea that knowledge and evidence comes from real experience and not abstract theories.
Thomas Hobbes
Traditional conservatism
Human imperfection
'State of war' (nasty, brutish and short)
Social contract
Strong authoritarian 'sovereign'
Edmund Burke
Traditional conservatism
Human imperfection
Change to conserve
Continuity
Supported American Revolution not French (abandonment of values)
Organic society and noblesse oblige
Michael Oakeshott
Traditional conservatism
Human imperfection
Politics of scepticism (rationalism worthless because it oversimplifies complex situations, tradition better)
Pragmatism
State prevents the bad instead of creating the good (ship analogy)
Ayn Rand
Objectivism
Rationalism
Small state
Negative liberty/ libertarianism
Robert Nozick
Big state threatened freedom
Libertarianism
Minarchist state
Optimistic view of human nature
Tax is theft
Self-sufficient communities
Essay plan: State (ADD)
Agree: All conservatives agree society must have a state. One Nation and Traditional conservatives agree the state needs to provide order in society (Hobbes). New Right conservatives also believe in a social contract.
Disagree: Traditional and One Nation conservatism's approach to the state is based on pragmatism (Oakeshott), whereas the New Right instead hold a highly ideological stance, believing in a small, but strong state (Nozick + Rand, fundamentally opposed to taxation and welfare).
Disagree: There are differences within the New Right over the state; as neoconservatism and neoliberalism sets itself up as a web of internal contradictions. Neoliberalism supports a minimal state to provide order and support dynamic markets (Nozick, Rand), whereas neoconservatism believes in a stronger state that upholds tradition (Hobbes).
Essay plan: Society (ADD)
Agree: traditional and One Nation conservatives support the idea of an organic society and believe a strong society provides security and stability. They agree the delicate aspects of society shouldn't be disturbed (Oakeshott) and stress the importance of hierarchy (Hobbes).
Disagree: Whilst Traditional/One Nation conservatives believe in organic society (Burke) the New Right believes society is atomistic with self-interested, self-serving individuals (Rand): e.g. Hierarchy vs Meritocracy.
Disagree: Differences WITHIN the New Right. Neoconservatives believe the cohesion of organic society is safeguarded by strong leadership/government authority (links to Hobbes), neoliberals outright reject organic society believing individuals thrive best with freedom from the state (Nozick)
Essay plan: Human nature (ADD)
Agree: Traditional and One-Nation conservatives agree on humans being intellectually (Oakeshott), morally and psychologically imperfect (Hobbes)
Disagree: Traditional and One Nation conservatism believes in human imperfection, the New Right, embraces a rational understanding of human nature based on atomistic individualism (Rand). For the New Right, society is atomistic (Nozick) but Traditional/ One Nation support an organic society due to human imperfection.
Disagree: Differences WITHIN the New Right on human nature. Neoliberals are committed to a rational approach based on atomistic individualism (Rand, Nozick). Contrastingly, neoconservatives reject human rationality and believe in human imperfection (Oakeshott, Hobbes)
Essay plan: Economy (ADD)
Agree: All conservatives value property as important as it provides humans with a sense of security which Hobbes believes they crave. Conservatives also believe wealth growth from free enterprise is valuable as humans are motivated by material gain (Burke).
Disagree: New Right commitment to the free-market is based on atomistic individualism (Rand, Nozick). Contrastingly, One Nation's pragmatic approach which is based on a belief in human imperfection and the need for social cohesion (Oakeshott, Hobbes).
Disagree: One Nation conservatism and the New Right disagree over welfare. One Nation recognizes the need for welfare to reduce social instability. In contrast the New Right argues welfare creates a dependency culture and restricts individuals from achieving potential (Rand)