CONSERVATISM EDEXCEL ALEVEL POLITICS

What are the six core ideas and principles in conservatism

1) Pragmatism

2) tradition

3) Human Imperfection

4) Organic society or state

5) Paternalism

6) Libertarianism

Outline what conservatives mean by 'Pragmatism'

Pragmatism is how conservatives like to stick to things that they know work, and are tried and tested.

What did Oakshote say about Pragmatism?

" To be a conservative is to prefer the tried to the untried"

Why are human rights considered dangerous?

They can promote a radical change of society, often through a revolution) which often leads to worse rather than better conditions. Anything to avoid a revolution in conservatism is key.

When is change allowed

When it is necessary to 'change to conserve'- Conservatives will only change if it conserves things in society i.e. giving women the vote in 1928 was to conserve the peace in society as they were causing violent protests that would have led to a revolution.

Which time in british political history can we associate with being pragmatic?

One Nation Conservatives in governments from 1951-1964. They accepted the changes that happened in Labour governments before them.

Why is the principle of TRADITION important for Conservatives?

Tradition is important as they aim to preserve 'accumulated wisdom from the past". Institutions, customs and beliefs have developed overtime, and was initially motivated from religion.

Tradition helps to preserve a sense of identity for groups of people.

What did Burke say about tradition?

"Society is a contract between the dead, the living and the yet to be born"

What do conservatives believe in as a result of human imperfection being natural?

They stress that:

- A tough stance on law and order is required to deter criminal behaviour

-As Human nature cannot be changed, foreign policy has to be based on national security

- Human nature is competitive, therefore political systems have to reward self interest rather than alturism (doing nice things for people)

How are humans flawed psychologically?

As they crave familiarity, predictablility and security- social order can help to achieve this.

How are humans flawed morally?

Humans are naturally selfish and greedy. Anti-social and criminal behaviour is natural basic human nature and cannot be accredited to social or economic disadvantages

How are humans intellectually flawed?

Humans do not possess the mental abilities to make sense of a complex modern world. Humans should rely on history, tradition and practical experience to undrestand their place in the world.

What is meant by 'Organic Society'?

Organic society compares society to that of a living organism, where all parts play a role in ensuring harmony. As there are many different parts, these cannot be randomly changed as some people are naturally suited better to different roles.

This links to the conservative view of hierarchy occuring which encourages paternalism.

What are factors that relate to an organic society?

- Authority, as it provides humans with direction and promotes social cohesion

- Hierarchy, as inequality is natural

- Paternalism

- Traditional institutions

What is meant by 'Paternalism'

Paternalism is linked to views on there being 'natural born leaders' who have a responsibility to look after those lower than them in society.

What are the two forms of paternalism?

Soft paternalism

Hard paternalism

Define soft paternalism

When those who are the recipients give their consent

Define hard paternalism

when paternalism is imposed, regardless of consent or opposition in a more authoritarian manner.

Who do we associate with one-nation paternalistic conservatism?

Benjamin Disraeli. He warned that britain was dividing more into two nations, the rich and the poor, and they needed to look after those lower to prevent a revolution.

Which branch of conservatism rejects paternalism and why?

The New Right.

They want as little government intervention as possible, therefore people should just look after themselves rather than those at the top having a moral obligation to look after those less fortunate.

What is libertarianism?

Libertarianism is a political philosophy that emphasises the rights of individuals to liberty.

What is libertarianism associated with today?

the liberal New Right or Neoliberalism

Define 'Noblesse Oblige'

The obligation of aristocracy and upper classes to look after those below them. Paternalism.

What is meant by 'Empiricism'

We can only get knowledge from experience. Why conservatives value history and tradition so much.

What are five key principles within Traditional Conservatism?

1) Living Organism (society, complex relationship between its many different oarts

2) Hierarchy- people aren't equal in terms of their ability and work rate

3) Gradual reform (in order to prevent a revolution if it is too sudden)

4) Pragmatism- use of tried and tested methods

5) Traditional institutions

Which key thinker do we associate the most with traditional Conservatism?

Edmund Burke

What did traditional conservatism emerge in response to?

The French Revolution (late 18th Century)

What was the title of Edmund Burkes famous book?

' Reflections on the Revolution in France '

Who should govern according to Edmund Burke?

the natural aristocracy

Describe traditional conservatives reasonings for the natural aristocracy ruling

As for generations, the upper class had been raised and educated to govern at all levels in society. It is also based on the concept of paternalism and noblesse oblige.

What do traditional conservatives think about the enlightenment?

They reject it as the enlightenment (which emphasised the need to examine existing ideas and institutions) would encourage rapid and destabilising change.

Summarise traditional conservatism

A set of political ideas that were established in response to the French revolution. It defends the established order with emphasis on tradition, hierarchy, and paternalism. Artificial change would create uncertainty.

What are key ideas associated with One Nation conservatism

1) Maintenance of traditional institutions (e.g. the monarchy, the Church of England).

2) Support of imperialism, Disraeli argued that the Empire strengthened national pride and Britain's influence in the world.

3) Social and other reforms of the working class (to create an alliance between the working and the ruling class to reduce social discontent.)

Name a modern example of One Nation conservatism

Conservative governments of 1951-1964. keynesian economics.

Which British Prime Minister do we associate the most with One Nation Conservatism?

Harold Macmillan. (PM 1957-1963).

The 'Middle Way' proposed a half way house between unrestricted capitalism and state-socialism.

He argued that a managed economy and orderly capitalism would preserve social cohesion

Compare Traditional conservatism with One Nation conservatism.

One nation conservatism is less class based.

Traditional conservatism is in response to prevent revolution whereas One Nation is more in relation to nationalism- they differ in focuses.

What two strands of ideology did the new right bring together?

1) Neo-liberalism (which called for a free market economy with little state intervention, and emphasis on individual liberty)

2) Neo-conservatism (a modernised version of traditional conservative social thinking)

When did the 'New Right' emerge?

In the 1970's, after intervention in the economy by the state failed to solve stagflation. Was popularised in the 1980's UK and US with Thatcher and Reagan.

What are three features of the New Right?

1) Opposition of economic and social intervention. Anti-permissiveness in regards to social attitudes and moral reasoning.

2) Traditional values- such as family values, respect authority and the benefits of hard work...

3) Reactionary- as the 20th century was a 'golden age' in response to economic freedom and individual moral responsibility.

What are the four key principles in Neo-Liberalism?

1) Free market (no government intervention, produce the greatest overall prosperity)

2) Inflation- or to tackle it as Thatcher and Reagan did with monetarist policies (cutting public spending)

3)Rejection of government intervention, as state planning nationalisation and high intervention lead to a lack of incentive.

4) Atomistic individuals- as individuals are rational, self interested and self sufficient.

What are three key principles of Neo-Conservatism?

1) Social Order. Liberal attitudes of the 1960's threatened society, therefore discipline hierarchy and strong political leadership is needed.

2) Traditional values- such as respect for authority, the law and benefits of hard work. A strong state has to be promoted by use of greater police powers.

3) Public morality. if an individual is allowed to make their own moral or lifestyle choices, two problems arise. Someone will. adopt an immoral lifestyle and it undermines the development of common moral standards.

What are the key ideas of libertarianism?

1) Against taxation- libertarians see it as robbery.

2) Non-interventionist

3) Individualistic and permissive compared to neo-conservatism

4) Rejection of pessimistic human intervention

5) minimal state.

What are key themes of libertarianism?

Robert Nozick- tax for the most part is theft

Heyek argued that welfare states should be abolished as they will eventually bankrupt society.

Rands 'objectivist' philosophy emphasised an individuals right to choose on matters such as sexuality and abortion.

What was the name of Thomas Hobbes book?

Leviathan (1651)

What was Thomas Hobbes two key ideas?

1) Ordered Society

2)human nature

What did Thomas Hobbes believe about an ordered society?

An ordered society should balance the human need to lead a free life. The government is established by a joint consent of people.

What did Thomas Hobbes believe about human nature

That it was naturally flawed, as humans are imperfect, selfish with a desire for self gratification.

The state of nature was "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short"

A negative view of human nature is largely consistent throughout conservatism.

What did Thomas Hobbes believe about the state, the economy and society

- State should be ordered to prevent anarchy, and is needed to allow us to act on our natural rights. He believed in a contract with the state.

- For society, society did not exist without a state being there and state of nature is chaos.

- Without a strong state the economy wouldn't be able to function as people would steal.

Edmund Burke?

- known as the 'father of traditional conservatism'

- main piece of work is 'Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790)

- LITTLE PLATOONS!

- aristocratic, educated at Trinity in Dublin

What two ideas did Burke promote?

1) Change to conserve

2) Respect tradition and empiricism

Burke 'Change to conserve'

- Reform should be limited and cautious, and be based on empiricism + tradition rather than abstract new ideas.

- Revolutionary change threatens to cut off the 'roots' of organic society.

- A moderate amount of change to promote modernisation doesn't being about revolution, it prevents it.

Burke- Empiricism

-Tradition represents the accumulated wisdom of the past. Continuing respect for tradition and empiricism promotes social continuity and stability.

What did Burke believe about Human Nature?

He believed in humans being imperfect, and that there was a gap between what they wanted and what they could achieve.

What did Burke think of the state?

He disliked french decentralisation and preferred "LITTLE PLATOONS".

Like society, the state is organic which dismisses the idea of creating an ideal state.

What did Burke believe about society?

Society was an organism- like a plant- so you had to be careful about what you changed.

It is important to stick to traditions that are the roots or organic society.

Empiricism- whats there, not what should be.

What type of economy did Burke support?

- A free market (similar to what Adam Smith proposed)

Michael Oakeshott?

Human imperfection

Pragmatism

Prefer the familiar

Cannot create a utopia

We should be suspicious of leaders

Associated with One Nation Conservatism

What are Oakshottes two key ideas?

1) Human imperfection

2) Pragmatism

Oakeshott- Human imperfection

- He described humans as being 'falliable not terrible'

-Society is unpredictable and humans are imperfect

- He favoured a society of local communities like Burke

- He believed that people did not have the mental facilities to make sense of the modern world

Oakeshott- Pragmatism

"To be a conservative is to prefer the tried to the untried"

-He believed that political thinking should be guided by pragmatism (and experience) to get public acceptance and maintain social stability and cohesion.

Oakeshott on human nature

best when free and focused on the routines of everyday life, FALLIABLE NOT TERRIBLE

Oakeshott on the state

The states job is to prevent bad, not create good.

To prevent disaster, the states job is to keep people a float

Oakeshott on society

localised communities are essential to humanities survival, guided by short term arrangements rather than abstract ideas.

Favoured local communities like burke

Oakeshott on the economy

free-markets are volatile and unpredictable, state intervention may be required to moderate them

Ayn Rand?

Atlas Shrugged 1957

She was a libertarian, very individualistic, New Right, believed that greedyness was good.

What were Ayn Rands two key ideas?

- Objectivism

-Freedom

What did Ayn Rand mean by 'Objectivism'?

That people should pursue their own happiness.

- Believed that self-interest was morally right, based on the 'virtue of selfishness'

-She was an advocate for the virtues of rational self

Ayn Rand- Freedom?

- On the whole, people should be left alone...

- A laissez-faire economy that is completely unregulated will support the free expression of human rationality.

-" A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not to beat others"

- People need to have the highest degree of social and economic freedom, as a result she opposed taxation as it takes away peoples earnings.

Ayn Rand on human nature

-Humans are rational and capable of thought, and should be 'objectivist' in pursuing self interest.

Ayn Rand on the state

The state should play a minimal role in individuals lives. The state should ensure law + order and national security to enable peoples freedom to be preserved.

Ayn Rand on society

She didn't believe in society. She saw atomistic individualism was more important.

Ayn Rand on the economy

Free market capitalism with no state intervention and a privatised and deregulated economy

Robert Nozick?

- Libertarian.

- Argued that the welfare state created a 'dependancy culture' and is a threat to peoples freedoms

-believed in self sufficiant communities and that some form of social authority is necessary.

Most important work is "Anarchy, the state + Utopia"

What are Nozick's two key ideas?

1) Libertarianism

2) Self- Ownership

Robert Nozick: Libertarianism

- You are not obligated to help anyone else in society

- There are no basic positive rights

- Basic negative rights of Liberty and Property

- Taxation is robbery

- The role of the government is only to play the role of 'night watchman' to make sure no one interferes with your right to do what you want with your stuff

Robert Nozick- Self Ownership

- Individuals own their own bodies, talents, abilities and labour. This is threatened by enforced taxation to fund welfare, as it gives other people rewards.

- 'No state more extensive than a minimal state can be justified.'

- This attitude emphasised libertarianism ideas as it is an extended form of individualism

Nozick on human nature

individuals are driven by a quest for self ownership, allowing them to realise their potential

Nozick on the state

Believed in a minimal state that was only concerned about enforcement of contracts and protection against threats.

Only a minimal state can be justified.

Nozick and society

Band together in small communitites for protection to achieve self-improvement.

Society is a collection of atomistic individuals who should have libertarian values

Nozick on the economy

Economies are essential as they promote self ownership and should be a privatised deregulated economy.

Conservatives overall view on Human Nature

- Traditional cons. is generally negative. Hobbes state of nature being "nasty, brutish and short"

-One nation, human nature is 'falliable, not terrible' Oakeshott

- Neoliberalism- Selfishness is natural, but isn't necessairly a bad thing

- Neo Conservs. Humans are rational and can be self-reliant. Rand= Humans are capable of own decisions

Conservatives overall view on the State

Traditional conservatives- Very pragmatic, gradual reform, organic society, Hobbes believed in a violent state of nature therefore law and order is needed

One Nation- Paternalist, national unity, the states role is to preserve tradition and stay neutral

Neoliberalism- suspicious of the state, especially the economy. Rand and Nozick see taxation as robbery

Neoconservatism- Small but strong state in order to maintain order

Conservatives overall view on Society

Traditional COnservatives- Little Platoons (Burke), traditional institutions, organic society...

One Nation Conservatives- Organic society. Any radical change will upset the balance achieved. Harold Macmillian hated events...

Neoliberalism- Rejected fixed hierarchies based on tradition, but supported hierarchies to do with the economy. Saw society as a collection of individuals

Neo Conservatives- Organic Society. Hierarchy and authority to ensure stability. Rand- society doesn't exist, but is a collection of individuals

Conservatives overall view on the economy.

Traditional Conservatives- Protectionist economies. Also free market (Burke)

One Nation Conservatives- Free marker. Limited intervention to assist economy to prevent unrest.

Neoliberalism- Hyper Capitalist. Favoured private enterprise. No state role in the economy, laissez faire

Neo Conservative- Little state involvement in the economy. Rand- Laissez-faire economy.