paternalism

paternalism

* is the traditional belief that government should be conducted by those best equipped to lead and make decisions through birth, inheritance and upbringing
* paternalism is strongly linked to conservative views on hierarchy, order and organic society
* it represents a form of benign power exerted from above by the state that governs in the interest of the population as a whole

human nature

* in the past traditional conservatives such as burke argued that the innate or hereditary abilities of the social elite gave them the authority to make decisions on society’s behalf and impose on them an obligation to care for the less fortunate
* modern one nation conservatives similarly maintain that, since human ability is not evenly distributed, the successful are entitled to their rewards
* but they also have a social responsibility to look after those who are unable to look after themselves

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economy

* one nation paternalistic conservatism, originally introduced by Disraeli and recently exhibited by Cameron and may governments
* has argued that government regulation of the economy and social welfare measures are necessary to improve conditions for the poorest.

society

* conservative paternalism blends principle with pragmatism
* the privileged in society have a social responsibility to look after the less fortunate
* and in doing so they aim to preserve their position, strengthen the hierarchical nature of society and remove threats to the social order

state

* since 1945 one nation conservatives have argued that the modern state is the most appropriate agency through which deliver social welfare and economic regulation in the interest of all
* paternalism can be soft when recipients give their consent or hard when it is imposed regardless of consent or opposition