What is the core conservative view of human nature?
Humans are fallible and flawed:
> Psychologically – want to feel safe and know role in society rather than paralysing freedom of choice
> Morally – people will always prove to be as selfish and greedy as we believe others to be, so need strong system of law and order to restrain impulses
>Intellectually – may believe our actions are rational but we are often influenced but irrational impulses and fail to see complicated reality of the world
• Their belief in human imperfection draws upon the Old Testament doctrine of original sin
How can tradition help the flaws in human nature?
Psychological - Long-lasting traditions remind us that despite the potential chaos of the world, it is unlikely to be radically altered soon
Moral - National myths, conventions etc. which we respect because they are so well established, are as important as criminal laws in maintaining order
Intellectual - If we weren’t grounded by the fact that we’ve inherited an evolving system which we must pass on, and instead designed a new constitution which appealed on a rational level but lacked the history of our current uncodified, evolving one, would we have the same commitment to it? Would -ve impulses be as contained, or would the knowledge that we are the first to be bound by it make us want to overturn it
How does a belief in a flawed human nature lead to a belief in the need for a strong state?
o A higher authority needs power to establish and enforce laws to create order and stability that truly makes us free
o Stronger police enforcement and longer prison sentences as human nature will best respond to firm deterrent
What is civil society?
variety of groups that exist between govt. and family, from voluntary organisations to church groups, clubs, businesses
What is the importance of civil society to conservatives?
o libertarians believe most important groups are non-govt., voluntary not coercive
o flawed humans need to be tempered by civil society
o in ‘little platoons’ of family, clubs etc we learn to take responsibility and appreciate duties we have to others, learn to check disruptive impulses, learn about tradition
o because we voluntarily join and they are local and often include family, friends and neighbours, they can influence more than distant bureaucrats –> state can coerce us to behave by enforcing the law, character, responsibility and morals can’t be declared by state; relationship with bureaucrats will always be one of coercion
• the more functions the state takes on, the more voluntary groups die out and with them go the important local ties that remind us that with rights comes social responsibility and as people become used to state provision, they become more dependent and more atomised
Did Hobbes believe political order was natural or man-made?
Man-made - result of human effort of art
Doesn’t reflect hierarchies in nature
What was Hobbes’ view of the state of nature? How does it relate to his view of human nature?
How and why did Hobbes’ believe we left the state of nature?
What is Hobbes’ view of state power?
How did Hobbes’ view of the state relate to the context of the Civil War?
What was Hobbes’ view of the nature of the state?
• individual rights depend on law and order
LEVIATHAN:
>Leviathan is his metaphor for the state, which he describes as an ‘artificial man’
>sovereignty is an ‘artificial soul’ which gives it life and motion
• sovereign = common single will which represents the will of all - preferably a monarch but could be oligarchy or even democracy
•once under a sovereign, subjects were not able to change its form (= absolutism)
What was Hobbes’ view on liberty?
How do Hobbes’ views fit in with those of other conservatives?
How do Hobbes’ views differ from other conservatives? How may they even be seen as liberal?
> SOCIAL CONTRACT
NO INALIENABLE RIGHTS
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
RIGHTS AS GRANTS OF STATE
• didn’t view tradition as a repository (place where things are stored) for political knowledge - for Burke tradition and reverence of the past was part and parcel of conservatism
• some conservatives advocate a natural law to politics and Hobbes redefined the natural law
• many conservatives have been defenders of established religion
• wasn’t a fan of political lessons of antiquity or mixed constitutions
LIBERAL:
> using devices of state of nature and social contract
> viewing individuals as atoms of politics not classes or ranks
> seeing politics as involving some degree of popular sovereignty
> positing some form of individual equality
> understanding politics a s a negotiation of individual interests and rights
> Locke accepts social contract and politics involves surrendering of rights BUT said we had inalienable rights e.g. property
> utilitarians accepted his account of interest and power
> they understood traditional morality as conventional as opposed to universal and foundational
> they were deferential to state authority and understood rights as grants of the state
How did Hobbes’ view of the state relate to the context of the Enlightenment?
How did Hobbes’ redefine natural law and natural right?
What was Hobbes’ view of how sovereignty could be achieved? What was his view of obedience to the state?
What was Burke’s view on rationalism? How did this influence his view of society?
What was Burke’s view of human nature? How did this influence his view of society?
What was Burke’s view on change?
How does Burke’s support for reforms to longstanding institutions fit with his conservative views? What kind of reforms?
Why did Burke believe the French Revolution happened?
• French revolution was due to French aristocracy’s failure to govern in the interests of all
Why did Burke criticise the French Revolution?
Why did Burke praise the American Revolution?