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Conservatism - Core ideas and Principles, Conservative thinkers and Ideas,…
Conservatism - Core ideas and Principles
Key principles
The need for social order and hierarchy within society.
Emphasis on tradition and pragmatism.
Patriotism
A pessimistic view of human nature.
Key Terms
Hierarchy
- which members of society are stratified or layered relative to others; this could be through social class, level of education, or occupation.
Organic society
- A society that evolves naturally without being 'constructed'; individuals are part of the organism of society and the government is the heart of the organism.
Authority
- 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.
Change to Conserve
- Conservatives believe that society must adapt to changing social circumstances in order to continue to function. This requires there to be institutions within society that provide cohesion; no section within society should be excluded.
Atomism
- Refers to the view that the main component of society is the individual, and that these individuals are self-interested, equal and rational. The action of individuals combines into a cohesive whole.
The core ideas and principles of conservatism and how they relate to human nature, the state, society and the economy.
Pragmatism
- A flexible approach to society with decisions made on the basis of what works.
The most important and distinctive feature of conservatism.
A rejection of ideology.
Pragmatists seeks a 'workable consensus' that is based on the traditions of that society.
Solutions to problems are always practical and not influenced by inflexible rules.
The concept of pragmatism is not interpreted / used in the same way by all conservatives:
The One-Nation school of thought focuses on achieving social harmony, even if that means accepting greater government involvement / construction of society.
The New Right school of thought rejects many of the pragmatic principles of traditional conservatism, and is associated with Thatcherism.
Tradition
- The accumulated wisdom of past societies and a connection across the generations.
Institutions that bring together and support the wisdom from the past are celebrated by conservatives.
Reference to tradition allows social change to occur in a way that is accepted by society.
Reference to tradition allows change to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
Closely linked with the concept of paternalism, whereby the 'elite' who have traditionally been in government know what is best for society.
The New Right moved away from paternalistic approaches, and instead focused on individual economic freedom.
Human Imperfection
- humans are flawed, which makes them incapable of making good decisions for themselves.
Conservatives take a pessimistic view of human nature.
Conservatism is grounded in the catholic idea of 'Original sin'.
Humans are driven by the base instincts of protecting our homes and families, as a result are suspicious of strangers and require cultural homogeneity.
Humans cannot adopt a fixed view of human nature.
It is not possible to achieve a 'utopian' society.
Organic society/state
- society/state is more important than any individual parts.
Society is an organism that emerges and evolves gradually over time in order to meet the needs of its members.
Society must develop institutions and mechanisms that protect us from harm.
A cohesive society requires a degree of hierarchy, and a sense of deference towards authority figures.
A successful society is one characterised by a strong emotional attachment to our fellow people.
Paternalism
- benign power exerted from above by the state, which governs in the interests of the people.
An approach to running the country in which members of the elite seek to govern in the best interests of the people.
Linked with the concept of noblesse oblige i.e. people with status have a responsibility to others, or, with privilege comes responsibility.
Clearly obvious during the post-war consensus period in terms of the UK's economic policies.
Libertarianism (specifically neoliberalism)
- The upholding of liberty, seeking to maximise autonomy and free choice, mainly in the economy.
This element produces a divide amongst conservatives.
The one-nation conservatives are willing to suppress some liberties in order to maintain social cohesion.
Those from the New Right are more concerned with individual liberties and a 'free market' approach to the economy, with individuals able to make decisions without bureaucratic interference by the government.
Key Quotes
Edmund Burke
On Hierarchy
- we should "love the little platoon in society to which we belong."
On Authority
- "no generation should ever be so rash as to consider itself superior to its predecessors."
On Organic Society
- "society is indeed a contract... not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born."
On Change to Conserve
- "a state without the means of change is without the means of its conservation."
Other
G.K. Cheserton
- "tradition means giving votes ... to our ancestors."
Thomas Hobbes
- without order, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."
On Atomism, Margaret Thatcher
- "there is no such thing as society, merely individuals and families."
Conservative thinkers and Ideas
Key Terminology
Laissez-faire
- An economic in which the government tries to avoid interfering in the economy; closely associated with capitalism. Conservatives generally regard capitalism as superior to socialism/state intervention because:
It supports those who want to 'get on' in life.
It allows the trickle-down effect to occur.
It supports the view that the 'freer the economy the freer the people'.
Empiricism
- An approach to thinking that believes all knowledge comes from experience; all conservatives, by definition, have an empiricist approach because of the fundamental principles of pragmatism and tradition.
Key thinkers: Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
Order
- an ordered society should balance the human need to lead a free life.
Human nature
- humans are needy, vulnerable and easily led astray in attempts to understanding the world.
The result of the English Civil War shaped Hobbes' world view.
Life is nothing more than a struggle for power - "
a perpetual and restless desire for power after power that ceaseth only in death
"
Without a 'social contract', Hobbes said that life in a state of nature would be "
solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short
" and characterised by "
a war of all against all
".
Therefore, the state is required to prevent anarchy and to back up promises/agreements with force if necessary.
The Hobbesian argument is that all forms of social order are preferable to an absence of social order-life in an orderly system of governance is superior to the lawlessness associated with a 'failed' state. Therefore, Hobbes has traditionally been viewed as a conservative theorist.
Some have argued that Hobbes does, however, have some liberal features; he declared that the people had the right to disobey the authority of the state if their lives were under threat. Therefore, Hobbes implies that authority is on loan from the people by the state and can therefore be reclaimed under exceptional circumstances.
Key thinkers: Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Change
- political change should be undertaken with great caution and organically
Tradition and Empiricism
- practices passed down for generations should be respected.
Regarded as the most influential conservative thinker ever.
Best-known for his reflections on the revolution in France.
His critique focuses on its flawed attempt to create a utopian society based upon the slogans of 'liberty, fraternity and equality'.
He said that the revolution ignored the social bonds that keep us together.
He rejected the Enlightenment view that humans are rational; instead he said we are both imperfect and imperfectible.
Burke viewed society as eternal; "
society is but a contract between the dead, the living and those yet to be born
."
He is also well-known for what we now call the trustee model: those who are elected to represent the people possess a greater level of wisdom than the public, and that there is a natural hierarchy within society.
Key thinkers: Michael Oakeshott (1901 - 1990)
Human Imperfection
- suggestion that society is unpredictable and humans are imperfect.
Pragmatism
- belief that conservatism is about being pragmatic.
Regarded as one of the 20th century’s most important conservative philosophers.
According to Oakeshott, conservatives
“prefer the familiar to the unknown, to prefer the tried to the
untried … [and] the actual to the possible”
He does not believe that the state can create a new society or a utopia based upon notions of social
progress.
The state should be regarded as a ‘ship’ that ensures social harmony, but we must be cautious of ‘pilots’ who believe that they can steer the ship towards a particular destination:
“in political activity men sail a boundless and bottomless sea”
The main criticism of Oakeshott is that his work is notoriously difficult to understand and that his ideas
are often presented in an obscure and confusing way
Key thinkers: Ayn Rand (1905-1982)
Objectivism
- this advocates the virtues of rational self-interest.
Freedom
- this supports a pure, laissez-faire capitalist economy.
A passionate advocate of economic freedom at a time (the post-war consensus) when this was deeply
unfashionable.
As rational entities, Ayn Rand claims that we have a duty to be selfish and put our own interests first.
She praises wealth-creators on the basis of the Biblical notion that he who does not work shall not eat.
Altruism and self-sacrifice is immoral, according to Rand,
Rand’s famous novel Atlas Shrugged is a good place to start in understanding her political philosophy.
Ayn Rand also advanced the theory of objectivism which states that we can attain objective knowledge via reason and logic. Furthermore, the prime moral purpose of life is the individual pursuit of happiness. Objectivism thereby favours a political and economic system consistent with both individualism and laissez-faire capitalism.
Fights the imposition of collectivism.
Key thinkers: Robert Nozick (1938-2002)
Libertarianism
- based on Kant's idea that individuals in society cannot be treated as a thing, or used against their will as a resource.
Self-ownership
- individuals own their bodies, talents, abilities and labour.
A key figure on the libertarian-right.
Best known for his work on natural justice.
At the core of Nozick’s work is the idea that the individual is sovereign.
Nozick was keen to defend the idea of minimal state intervention, perhaps most
prominently in his book “Anarchy, the State and Utopia”.
When people make their own decisions, without state intervention, the outcome must always be a
‘just’ one, because individuals are important and an end in themselves.
Any attempt by the state to make outcomes ‘fairer’ will end up benefiting those who are most likely to
vote the government back into power.
According to Nozick, the only role for the state is to enforce contracts and protect against theft.
Nozick regarded taxation as
‘legalised theft’
Conservatism : differing views and tensions
Key terminology
Noblesse oblige
- Those born of a high social status have a duty or responsibility to help those less fortunate within society.
Paternalism
- Implies that the ruling elite should care for those in a less advantageous position.
Anti-Permissiveness
- Refers to a situation in which behaviour that some people might disapprove of is allowed. Therefore, anti-permissiveness refers to a lack of change in the law or society to allow such behaviour.
Radicalism
- The belief or expression that there should be significant / extreme political and/or social change. These changes should occur through revolution.
Human Imperfection
- According to the conservative mindset, human nature is imperfect and unchangeable. We are flawed creatures and we must simply recognise that.
Strands
Traditional Conservative
- a commitment to hierarchic and paternalistic values.
The oldest form of conservative thought, and relatively insignificant in the field of British politics.
Strongly associated with hierarchy and nobles oblige.
Associated with the time when very few people had the vote.
One-nation Conservative
- updating of traditional conservatism in response to the emergence of capitalism.
Resulted from the work of Benjamin Disraeli following the Great Reform Act.
Disraeli argued that the one-nation outlook would enable the Conservatives to reach out towards all sections of the electorate.
One-nation ideas have allowed the Conservative Party to claim a mandate to govern on behalf of society.
Firmly opposed to the state dictating the lives of its citizens, the state must be strong enough to ensure firm government but must never seek to suppress the individual.
New-right Conservative
- the marriage of neoliberal and neoconservative ideas, and include elements of both neoliberal and neoconservative.
Economically libertarian e.g. more privatisation, less involvement by the government in the economy.
Socially authoritarian in terms of law and order, and takes the view that the state should be active in terms of telling people how to live their lives.
Thatcher is often seen as a good example of a New-Right conservative.
Neo-liberal
- principally concerned with free-market economics and atomistic individualism.
Neo-liberalism is a more modern form of liberalism.
Highly supportive of 'Laissez-faire' free-market capitalism.
Recent evidence of the link between neoliberalism and New-Right conservatives would be the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government.
Rejects the socialist view that individual goals should be repressed in order to achieve common / collective goals.
Neo-liberals differ from New-Right Conservatives in terms of their views on multiculturalism, laws and order, and lifestyle choices.
Neo-conservative
- principally concerned with the fear of social fragmentation, tough on law and order and public morality.
Neo-conservatives have an authoritarian view on law and order, and morality.
There is a clear distinction between right and wrong based on both religious teachings and social traditions.
They seek cultural homogeneity and an organic society.
More evident in the US than the UK.