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conservatism - key terms, change to conserve - Coggle Diagram
conservatism - key terms
authority
Authority means the ability / power / right to give orders, make decisions and enforce compliance with those decisions and laws. It is usually associated with the existence of a person or organisation, such as a government, that has political or administrative control and power.
According to conservatives, without a sense of hierarchy and respect for authority, society would descend into a state of anarchy. Such a world would be strongly disliked by conservatives who – by temperament and instinct – prize social order and harmony above all else. Conservatives also believe that authority enables us to lead a more fulfilling and purposeful life.
Thomas Hobbs: He argued that without order we would revert to a state of nature in which life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
atomnism
Atomism refers to the view that the main component of society is the individual (i.e. the ‘atom’), and that these individuals are self-interested, equal and rational.
The action of individuals combines into a cohesive whole. In this relationship between the individual and society, conservatives emphasise the need for a high level of cultural homogeneity, balanced by the idea that we must face our responsibilities towards others. Unlike liberals, conservatives are not overly concerned with the despotism of custom or the tyranny of the majority.
The mindset of conservatism claims that the individual can only flourish when we are all part of a cohesive and orderly society.
Society is only held together by a shared consensus over how to lead one’s life, which is why conservatives seek to emphasise traditional values rather than those associated with subcultures based around religion and culture. This point of view leads towards the conservative argument that immigrant groups should assimilate into British society. On this basis, conservatives are critical of how liberals prize cultural diversity and aggressive individualism over the goal of social cohesion.
heirachy
Hierarchy can be defined as the means by which members of society are stratified or layered relative to others. This may be based upon social class and occupation.
According to conservatives, we must recognise the obligations of our status in order for society to function effectively. Without a sense of hierarchy, society itself could collapse. People from all walks of life have a part to play in the maintenance of society
Edmund Burke: the father of modern conservatism Edmund Burke offered a persuasive defence of the authority held by the ruling classes. For instance, Burke claimed that they could govern the country in a disinterested manner. In contrast, both the middle-class and working-class would serve their own group’s interest.
all conservatives would agree that we can be divided on the basis of a natural hierarchy. We are born unequal with different attributes and characteristics. Inevitably, this also relates to our ability to govern.
Throughout the ages, conservatives have believed that the existence of a hierarchy facilitates an organic society[1] which evolves naturally according to the needs of society.
As one would expect, all conservatives are opposed to revolution. Throughout history, conservatives have argued that revolution will never achieve the objectives of its wide-eyed and hot-headed followers. Indeed, revolutions have repeatedly led to a new form of hierarchy. It is for these reasons that the watchword of the conservative mindset is ‘evolution … not revolution.’
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change to conserve
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reflects their non-ideological approach and their preference for pragmatism. Change is necessary in order that society may function. In order to properly understand this, we need to remind ourselves that the core aim of conservatism is social order and harmony. To achieve this, conservatives favour those institutions and values that encourage a degree of cohesion between the various elements of society.
both Edmund Burke and Benjamin Disraeli sought to bring people from all walks of life closer together and thereby forge one cohesive nation. No section within society should be excluded provided they support a consensual approach to decision-making. The conservative mindset has long been associated with those values and characteristics that might brin