Conservatism

Question 1

Hobbes view on human nature

Answer 1

• Argued that humans are imperfect and self-interested.
• Has a pessimistic view of human nature - morally (selfish and violent), intellectually (incapable of understanding abstract ideas like freedom, equality) and psychologically (need security) imperfect
• Imperfection cannot be avoided as :
  
  • Humans desire power and material gratification and are distrustful of others. This is the state of nature.
• However he did not believe that they were completely irrational as humans would recognise the ‘state of nature’ as a hell.
  He theorized that individuals would seek a social contract; surrendering individual autonomy to a sovereign monarch providing order through authority.

Question 2

Hobbes view on society

Answer 2

• Once the state provides necessary order, society will emerge organically maturing into a complicated organism of traditions and customs.
  In the state of nature life would be solitary, nasty, brutish and poor

Question 3

Hobbes view on the state

Answer 3

• Sovereign may behave in a corrupt manner, but insists behavior would be incredibly unwise if subjects do not feel safe.
• Sovereign is not bound by the social contract, they receive the obedience of the people who gift it.
• Should always be an absolute monarch
• He saw the state as an organic and natural body
  Hobbes said state should be in charge of religion and military

Question 4

Burkes views on human nature

Answer 4

• Sovereign may behave in a corrupt manner, but insists behavior would be incredibly unwise if subjects do not feel safe.
• Sovereign is not bound by the social contract, they receive the obedience of the people who gift it.
• Should always be an absolute monarch
• He saw the state as an organic and natural body
  Hobbes said state should be in charge of religion and military

Question 5

Burkes view on society

Answer 5

• Society is organic but is not static and sometimes ‘change to conserve’ itself. These changes should be guided by history, tradition, pragmatism and empiricism
• Viewed as hierarchical and opposed attempts to extend the franchise and thought universal suffrage would lead to mob rule.
• Society was a social contract between not only the living but also those who were dead and those yet to be born.
• Political power does not give those in charge the right to remodel society but mindful of the society that they have inherited their duty extends to preserving society for their descions.
  Humans naturally form ‘little platoons’ = sociable groups e.g village. He believes society comes before the state. Local lord should be paternal = authority and caring. Noblesse oblige = if you are Nobel you have obligations to look after those who are less well off.

Question 6

Burkes view of the state

Answer 6

• Were very complex so reform could leave to disaster and tyranny. French Revolution based on abstract principles discarded empiricism and tradition for utopian idealism.
• Believed in the British monarchy
• Only aristocrats should have the vote as believes people are stupid.
  Not high state interference as should be done by local lord or church

Question 6

Burkes view on the economy

Answer 6

• Followed Adam Smith’s ideas of the free market
• When he was at home made more moral decision but market becomes more selfish and this is alright.
• The free hand
  Was not an economist himself absorbed Adam Smith’s ideas

Question 7

What type of conservative was Disraeli

Answer 7

Early One Nation Conservative

Question 8

One nation conservatives views on human nature

Answer 8

-Similar to traditional in the preference for pragmatism and organic society

• One nation conservatives are more open to rationalistic ideas
• Successful PM’s adopted keynsian economics

Question 9

Neo conservatives views on human nature

Answer 9

• Hobbesian view of moral imperfection and advocate tough law and order to maintain societal stability. They conclude the state is required to ensure an organic society
• Open to rationalism and state management, wanting rationally inspired welfare and education reforms

Question 10

Neo liberals views on human nature

Answer 10

• Optimistic = more than other strands
• Similar to Hobbes in that people are autonomous individuals
• However have a positive view of human nature as humans are rational and motivated to pursue their own self interests
• Individuals first loyalty is to their personal happiness
• Prefer scientific fact and logic to empiricism and pragmatism (trads)

Question 11

One nation conservatives views on the state

Answer 11

• Influenced by Burke and his ideas of noblesse oblige, paternalistic state intervention.
• Believe the primary purpose of the state is to preserve society
• Small scale state intervention due to empiricism
• Later they favoured more radical and rationally inspired state intervention = and increase in state intervention
• In crisis they advocate huge state intervention

Question 12

Neo conservatives views on the state

Answer 12

• Influenced by Hobbes and Burke where their primary function is to preserve society
• Believe in a less generous welfare state than one nation conservatives but agree that there must be welfare provision to maintain societal order
• Anti-poverty programmes advocated by ONC in the UK and modern liberalism inspired policies in the USA
• In times of crisis they will advocated huge state interference to preserve society and economy

Question 13

Neo liberals views of the state

Answer 13

• Argue for what Nozick called a miniaturist government with minimal state interference
• The most hostile to state interference in society and economy
• Nozick sees the primary role to protect human rights with state involvement ‘limited to the narrow functions of force, theft enforcement of contracts and so on’

Question 14

One nation conservatives views on society

Answer 14

• View society as organic and cannot exist before the state
• Early and modern ONC are sympathetic are sympathetic to ‘little platoons’
• Modern ONC is paternal and influenced by modern liberalism advocating for extensive state intervention in society. Oakeshott was critical of such rationalism
• Modern ONC is far more secular than traditional conservatism. And is far more inclusive on same sex relationships and LGBTQ+
• Is paternal and advocates a welfare state

Question 15

Neo liberals views on society

Answer 15

• Rand and Nozick argue it is atomistic and individuals are self interested and self-sufficient
• All branches in agreement that society cannot pre exist the state
• They loathed collectivism arguing the need for a rolling back of state influence in society and the economy
• Do not believe in a state funded welfare stae as the state forces tax to fund projects negating individual freedom
• Rand argued for voluntarism where individuals are free to donate if they choose

Question 16

One nation conservatives views on the economy

Answer 16

• Early ONC favoured the free market but understood the trouble with unregulated capitalism favouring moderate state intervention to regulate the economy
• ONC has a varied attitude to state intervention in the economy. Macmillan and Heath’s cons govs favoured a mixed economy and Keynesian economics. 21st century prefer privatised companies to nationalised companies and are sympathetic to the free market but mostly inspired by Keynes.
• Sanction massive state intervention in the economy during emergencies.

Question 17

Neo conservatives vies on the economy

Answer 17

• Favour a free market economy
• Still informed by traditional conservative values such as pragmatism

Question 18

Neo liberals views on the economy

Answer 18

• Only require the state to act as a referee in making sure the rule adhered in the economic sphere
• Committed to the free market and oppose interventionary state management such as Keynesian econ