Conservatism: Key thinkers, terminology and essay plans

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What are the strands of conservatism?

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Traditional conservatism

New right conservatism (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism)

One nation conservatism (no key thinker)

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Hierarchy

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Societal structure that gives authoritative leaders legitimacy , those below the ruling class in hierarchy are obliged to obey

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20 Terms

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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)

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Hierarchy

Societal structure that gives authoritative leaders legitimacy , those below the ruling class in hierarchy are obliged to obey

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Authority

Those in higher positions in society are best suited to make decisions on society's behalf.

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Change to conserve

That society should adapt to changing circumstances with small modifications rather than reject change outright and risk rebellion and/or revolution.

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Atomism

A society that exists as a loose connection of self-interested and self-sufficient individuals.

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Noblesse Oblige

The duty of society's elite to look after the less fortunate.

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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.

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Radical

Belief in ideas that favour drastic political, economic and social change.

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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

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Laissez-faire

A preference for minimal government intervention in the economy.

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Empiricism

The idea that knowledge and evidence comes from real experience and not abstract theories.

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Thomas Hobbes

Traditional conservatism

Human imperfection

'State of war' (nasty, brutish and short)

Social contract

Strong authoritarian 'sovereign'

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Edmund Burke

Traditional conservatism

Human imperfection

Change to conserve

Continuity

Supported American Revolution not French (abandonment of values)

Organic society and noblesse oblige

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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)

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Ayn Rand

Objectivism

Rationalism

Small state

Negative liberty/ libertarianism

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Robert Nozick

Big state threatened freedom

Libertarianism

Minarchist state

Optimistic view of human nature

Tax is theft

Self-sufficient communities

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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).

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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)

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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)

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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)