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CONSERVATISM - Coggle Diagram
CONSERVATISM
TRADITION
tradition, customs and habits govern and guide human action (organic change)
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Accumulated wisdom of past, that underpins society
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HUMAN IMPERFECTION
Humans are flawed which makes them incapable of making good decisions.
Psychological imperfection: humans are security driven and socially dependent. we rely on tradition and culture for identity.
Moral imperfection: humans are selfish creatures motivated by base impulses.
Intellectual imperfection: reality is beyond rational understanding. consequently, abstract ideas or theories will always be flawed.
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BURKE: agrees with concept of human imperfection, but not with extent of imperfection. humans are not ruthlessly individualistic but naturally communal and do not make mistakes on drastic levels
EMPIRICISM: if the state subscribes to empiricism, the changes it makes are informed by past experiences
RATIONALISM: if the state subscribes to rationalism, the changes it makes are informed by abstract ideas
ORGANIC SOCIETY/STATE
HOBBES AND BURKE: disagree with LOCKE'S interpretation of natural rights and laws (individual rights are dependent upon law and order, only state has authority to give individual rights a practical meaning)
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Traditional: Believed that once state provides neccessary order, society emerges organically
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Organic society is hierarchal: natural order, each individual has their place (paternalism of noblesse oblige)
Sometimes society must evolve but any change must be cautiously considered for fear of unintended damage.
PATERNALISM
Paternal responsibility (noblesse oblige) of ruling class to those less fortunate to act in their best interest
Pragmatic belief: if the state fails to counter societal problems it risks upsetting the established order and the existence of organic society.
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One nation:ruling elite have obligation to enact social reforms and limited welfarism to help the poorest and preserve stability
New right: unintended consequence of paternalistic welfarism was dependence of lower class on state (paternal tough love: acknowledges role of state to intervene in society but narrow scale of assistance, as it limits choice and prevents them from their mistakes
LIBERTARIANISM
Challenges idea of traditional hierarchies and legitimacy of the state: minimal state in society allows emergence and co-existence of voluntary-formed communities, state is night watchman (oversees rule of law, protects rights)
argues for massive reduction in tax and state spending on society as a moral and economic imperative for individual freedom (welfare spending creates dependency culture and will eventually bankrupt society)
Emphasizes negative freedom and advocates minimal state intervention (inherent in traditional conservatism: laissez faire and minimal role in society)
Rolling back state involvement: radical deregulation and privatization, bodies obstructive to free market (trade unions) should have powers curtailed
Individuals should be "left alone" in economic, social and cultural spheres: individuals "right to choose" on issues such as abortion and homosexuality
THOMAS HOBBES
SOCIETY:
Society does not exist before the creation of the state.
The sovereign brings order and authority, Before the creation of the state, life was "nasty, brutish and short"
STATE:
State arises from "social contract" between sovereign and subjects.
Subjects cede freedoms to an autocratic monarch to guarantee the rule of law and to avoid "state of war"
HUMAN NATURE:
Cynically/extremely negative: individuals are selfish, driven by self-interest (restless and ruthless desire for supremacy and security)
ECONOMY:
Economic activity is only possible after creation of the state.
The sovereign brings order and authority, allowing the economy to develop.
EDMUND BURKE
HUMAN NATURE:
Skeptical/somewhat negative: humans are morally and intellectually fallible.
The "crooked timber of humanity" is marked by the gap between aspiration and achievement.
we may conceive of perfection but we are unable to achieve it
STATE:
State arises organically. Hierarchal in nature, the hereditary elites rules with paternal noblesse oblige for the interest of all.
The state should "change to conserve" society by empiricism
SOCIETY:
Society is organic and multi-faceted, comprising a host of small communities and organisations ("little platoons").
Communities, traditions, customs ect. have a symbiotic relationship
ECONOMY:
Trade should involve "organic" free markets and laissez-faire capitalism. This should be protected by the state.
MICHAEL OAKESHOTT
STATE:
State should be guided by tradition, experience and practical concerns.
Skeptical of rationalist state action. Change should be guided by pragmatism and empiricism
HUMAN NATURE:
Modest/somewhat negative: humanity is at its best when free from grand designs and when focused on the routines of everyday life.
Focused on intellectual imperfection.
Decisions should be grounded in empiricism not radicalism
SOCIETY:
Localized communities are essential to humanity's survival, especially when guided by short-term requirements rather than abstract ideas (similar view to Burke)
ECONOMY:
Free market is the natural state of the market, which is volatile and unpredictable and therefore may require pragmatic moderation by the state.
State management or economic policies underpinned by rationalism should be avoided because of intellectual imperfection
AYN RAND
HUMAN NATURE:
"Objectivist"/Positive: humans are capable of radical thought and ought to be guided by self-interest and the pursuit of self-fullfilment.
STATE:
State should play a minimal role. It should only secure a free market, law and order and national security. Any attempt to promote "positive liberty" via further state intervention, should be resisted.
SOCIETY:
Society pursues atomistic individualism. A collection of autonomous individuals motivated by self-fulfillment. These individuals resist state or societal obligations as they restrict individual freedom (any attempts to restrict individuals in the name of society should be challenged)
No welfare state.
ECONOMY:
Free-market capitalism with no state intervention and a privatized and deregulated economy is an expression of "objectivist" individualism and should not be hindered by the state.
Robert Nozick
STATE:
Monarchist state should merely outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services. The state should be limited to law and order, enforcement of contract and defence
HUMAN NATURE:
Egotistical/positive: individuals are rational and driven by quest of "self-ownership" of their talent, abilities and labor allowing them to realize their full potential
SOCIETY:
Society is entially atomistic and should be geared to individual self-fulfillment. This may lead to a plethora of small, variabe communities reflecting their members' diverse tastes and philosophies.
The individuals with libertarian values resist state or societal obligations as they restrict individual freedom.
No welfare state.
ECONOMY:
The monarchist state should detach itself from a privatized and deregulated economy, merely arbitrating, disputes between private economic organisations
PRAGMATISM
Informed by empiricisam, aim: make society stable
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Traditional conservatism: GRA 1832 gave m/c men the vote = pragmatically accepting the merging class into political system
One nation conservatism: pragmatically accepted and continued the radical changes of Atlee's labour gov: state intervention in economy and welfare state.
DIFFERING VIEWS
TRADITIONAL
Non-reactionary (Burke): Defending of conservative ideas (hierarchy, empiricism, tradition, authority) to counter ideas of enlightenment to maintain the societal equilibrium, capable of change (but only after careful consideration), moderate reform to keep society stable.
Reactionary (Hobbes): Believes in feudal hierarchic order of society, idea challenged by Enlightenment and French Revolution changing the dynamics of state and society: defensive ideology resisting the decline of aristocratic rule (as rule of aristocracy declines so did reactionary conservatism)
A natural disposition (Oakeshott): focus on psychological and intellectual aspects of human imperfection (makes conservatism a natural disposition rather than ideology) gov. must rely on empirical informed pragmatism to govern, embrace politics of slepticism and be guided by experience.
ONE NATION
DISRAELI was influenced by BURKE: introduced noblesse oblige, reforms influenced by empiricism
Described as an update of traditional conservatism in response to the emergence of capitalism (response to mass industrialization causing social inequality, which caused new ideas: socialism and anarchism)
Early one nation reforms: Dwelling Act 1875 (gave local authorities power to buy slums and redevelop them into hygienic and safe housing for working class)
Later (1945-): still includes paternal ideas of Burke but is commonly associated with Macmillan who championed a conservatism that steered a course between traditional laissez faire economics and socialist collectivism of state planning
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