Conservatism - questions

Conservatives agreement on human nature

Conservatives agreement on human nature

• Conservatives throughout the stands have varying views on how irrational and imperfect humans are, but can agree that they do have a certain level of irrationality that requires the state in order to protect society from disorder, for example, the new right, believing in a strong law and order state. As they see HN reasoning as very limited, it is dangerous to plan a whole new society as socialism or liberalism sees, therefore we must follow our established norms and traditions.

• Trad Con thinker, Burke states that humans are intellectually imperfect and in cable of rational though especially complex (political systems) meaning they require guidance by the state in order to prevent riot and disorder, Hobbes states that without a state life would be “short brutish and nasty”, if humans were left to their natural instincts. Similar to Burle Oakeshott saw the key to belevenat and kind humans as the church and following traditions.

• One nation thinker Oakeshott also agrees with this view of Human nature, stating HN is “fragile and fallible”, needing a sense of familiarly in order to survive,

• Neo conservatives, like Rand see HN as innate, and fallible, or non transformable, meaning a state is necessary in order to prevent crime, taking a strong stance on Law and Order. NEO CON, like HOBBES that human nature is innate and cannot be transformed.

• They all agree the state is necessary and needed due to the pessimistic view on HN that they hold.

Con disagreement on HN

• Even between the strands there is disagreement on the extent of how HN is viewed, with TRAD thinkers Burke and Hobbes disagreeing with one another, Hobbes had a more pessimistic view on HN, seeing humans as ruthlessly selfish, calculating and competitive, and that without state life would be marked with “envy hatred and war”, leading to a “brutish, nasty and short” life. BURKE also goes completely against the conservative view that humans are irrational, by stating they will understand the need for a contract, admitting that humans are in fact rational to that extent, which is a more liberal view.

• HOBBES on the other hand firmly believed humans were irrational beings, as he criticsed the enlightenment. He also did not agree with Burkes view that humans were selfish and individualistic , explaining humans could be capable of kindness altruism, as long as their actions were rooted in things like tradition and the teachings of the church.

• Oakeshott also did not see humans as completely terrible, as Hobbes edledged. Stating they were capable of being benelvent and begin.

• Neo con like RAND and NOZICK saw humans as rational, unlike HOBBES and OAKSHOTT, and even more rational than BURKE did, stating they do not need any limitations to their individuality. Disagreeing further with HOBBES and OAKSHOTT Neo con see HN as innate and non transformanle, meaning things like church or tradtion will not be able to bring out a kindness from within.

Con agreement on Society

• BURKE and OAKSHOTT believed that small platoons or communities were ideal, as humans were not mere individuals but an organic entity where different parts worked together harmonically (BURKE),

• Conservatives believe in an organic society, one which cannot be formed through utopian ideas (BURKE) or revolution but through pragmatism, and response to issues as they come, described by OAKESHOTT, that society cannot be created but rather emerges organically and gradually, in a way which cannot be wholly predicted, therefore traditions must be relied upon, an idea that all conservatives, even new right support.

• one nation and trad con agree on the idea that there will always be a division in society (BRUKE) as humans do not have the same abilities or talents, therefore differentiated by skill and ability meaning there will always be an inequality. They believe that hierarchy is natural, and the elites are the natural leaders, while other groups should accept their ability. This is also seen in the one nation view, through Disralis’s “Nobles Obliges” view, that the elites should bare a certain responsibility over other classes. HOBBES also shows the need for herachy and authorty

• Both BURKE and OAKESHOTT emphasized the value of tradition and the need to apply past wisdom on current society to ensure its functionality. They see tradition as essential for humans, as OAKESHOTT states familiarity and tradition is vital for humans to feel benevolent.

disagreement on society

paternalism

rand induvalism vs burke platoons