1
Q
key thinkers with strands
A
Burke - Trad
Oakeshott - One Nation conservative
Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick -Neo-Liberals
Hobbes - can be used for certain things
Charles Murray - not a key thinker but can be used for neo-conservative views
2
Q
thomas hobbes key publication
A
leviathan
3
Q
hobbes key ideas
A
- Human imperfection: Human nature (the ‘state of nature’) is one of conflict and chaos between people if not kept under control. Without a powerful ruler to maintain order, life will be ‘poor, nasty, brutish and short’.
- People realise they need a powerful ruler to maintain law and order, and the relationship between citizens and their government is like a contract: they accept the absolute power of the ruler in exchange for protection.
- Strong state role in maintaining strict law and order
4
Q
what are Hobbes ideas useful for
A
Hobbes’ ideas are extremely useful when identifying agreements and disagreements within conservatism
5
Q
agreements and disagreements among conservatives on Hobbes’ ideas
A
- his argument for strict law and order to due
to our human imperfection is one of the few ideas shared by all conservatives - his argument for the need for a strong
government which authority we should accept is shared by traditional and One Nation conservatives (Paternalism: accept authority of natural leaders in an organic society) and neo-conservatives (leaders should provide moral guidance), but NOT neo liberals/libertarians who want minimal government power
6
Q
burke key publication
A
Reflections on the Revolution in France
7
Q
burke key ideas
A
- Traditional institutions provide stability (accumulated wisdom passed on through generations)
- Pragmatism: Radical change (e.g. French revolution) is disruptive and leads to chaos – gradual change maintains stability and protects the delicate balance within an organic society
- Pragmatism: ‘change to conserve’; modest change is needed to adapt society to changing circumstances.
8
Q
oakeshott key publication
A
Rationalism in Politics
9
Q
Oakeshott key ideas
A
- Pragmatism instead of rationalism: human imperfection means people do not have the intellectual ability to rationally improve society with abstract experimental ideas. Our capacity to rational thinking is limited. Society is unpredictable and complex.
- Instead politics should be guided by pragmatism: cautious, moderate change, flexible and adapting to what is in the best interest of the people instead of sticking to rigid experimental theories.
- Politics should accommodate existing traditions and practices.
10
Q
ayn rand key publication
A
Atlas Shrugged
11
Q
rand key ideas
A
- ‘Objectivism’: rational self-interested individualism – self-interest as guiding principle. Human beings are naturally self-interested and ideas promoting altruism (caring about and feeling a sense of responsibility towards others) are unnatural.
- Human beings are rational - our ability to think rationally is ‘absolute’: we are perfectly capable of taking decisions ourselves (and don’t need a government to tell us what to do)
- Rejects government control (taxation, welfare programmes, etc.) as based on the threat of violence; instead supports radical individual freedom
- Supports unregulated capitalism (free market) as morally right (based on ‘non-aggressor’ principle)
12
Q
robert nozick key publication
A
Anarchy, state and Utopia
13
Q
Nozick key ideas
A
- Humans cannot be forced to do things against their will. Taxation amounts to a type of forced labour or slavery.
- The state should be minimal; only a ‘night watchman state’, maintaining law and order, and nothing else.
- Individuals own themselves (body, talents, labour) and are capable of deciding what happens with it.
