Pragmatism

• What is pragmatism?

  The idea that decisions should be made in a flexible way on the basis of what works, rather than being driven by ideology or dogmatic thinking
• What was the emergence of conservatism a large part in response to?

  French revolution, which Burke saw as a dangerous departure from focusing on the teachings of tradition and ’what works’ in favour of ideology and utopian thinking
• Conservatives advocate for viewing society and state action in a cautious manner and listens to evidence. This links to their strong belief in tradition, which they see as the accumulated wisdom of the past that shouldn’t be discarded in favour of idealistic visions of societal change
• In the essay, ‘On Being conservative’, Michael Oakeshott set out the conservative case for pragmatism, preferring the familiar to the unknown
• Oakeshott set out the idea that the state shouldn’t rely to change the lives/wants of its citizens through utopian ideology
• Conservative opposition to radical and idealistic changes was linked to their belief in human imperfection. Humans are fallible and limited in their capacity to understand and engineer complex social systems
• It is important to recognise that conservatives don’t believe in not changing at all

  The key principle of changing to conserve emphasises that whilst tradition should be listened to, some adaptation is necessary to maintain stability and prevent upheaval in the context of changing circumstances
• The key principle of changing to conserve emphasises that whilst tradition should be listened to, some adaption is necessary to maintain stability and prevent upheaval in the context of changing circumstances
• Conservatives recognised that if they simply tried to not change society at all, this ran the risk of leading to revolution and complete upheaval
• Where can pragmatism be seen as in traditional conservatism?

  Deep rooted preference for existing institutions and proven practices over theory of ideology
• Traditional conservatives are guided by the belief that the accumulated wisdom of history and tradition holds more practical value than the abstract ideas that socialism and other ideologies promote
• Traditional conservatives view society as a complex and organic entity, where each part has evolved to play a specific role overtime
• Traditional conservatives consider the disruption of long standing systems and traditions and potentially harmful and destabilising
• In traditional conservatism, pragmatism is therefore linked to maintain social order and stability, with changes implemented only when necessary to preserve fundamental structure of society
• One nation conservatives recognised that in the face of the societal changes brought about by industrialisation and capitalism, some degree of state intervention and reform was necessary to prevent social unrest and maintain national cohesion
• One nation conservatives advocated for pragmatic solutions that struck a balance between maintaining traditional values and instituting reforms aimed at improving the welfare of the less privileged
• Disraeli’s government enacted social reforms such as the Public Health Act of 1875 and the Artisans‘ and Labourers’ Dwellings Improvement Act of 1875 which improved health and sanitary conditions in towns and cities
• Legislation by Disraeli’s government addressed the needs of the less privileged while maintains the social hierarchy integral to conservative values
• With support for socialism growing during the late 19th century, changes by the Disraeli government was necessary to conserve the hierarchical, stable nature of society and prevent a socialist revolution that would threaten it
• What did pragamtism also lead the one national conservatives to emphasise on?

  Nationalism and nationhood, which was a strategic response to mitigate the risks of class divisions and the potential social upheavals they posed
• By promoting a cohesive nation and fostering a strong sense of national identity, one nation conservatives sought to unite classes and reduce support for socialist ideas which advocated for class based unrest and revolution which threatened the fabric of society
• Which conservatives arguably reject pragamtism?

  New Right
• What did the New Right favour instead of pragmatism?

  More ideological stance driven by a strong belief in negative freedom
• New Right was critical of One Nation conservatism and thinkers like Michael Oakeshott


  The New Right viewed their approaches, which embraced a degree of state intervention and social welfare, as a capitulation to socialist ideas and dilution of conservative principles
• Who was openly critical of the post war consensus that had been influenced by One Nation ideas?

  Thatcher, who saw it as a capitulation to socialist ideals
• Thatcher implemented a radical shift towards laissez faire capitalism and directly taking on the working class in the miner’s strike
• Neoliberalism staunchly supported laissez-faire capitalism , prioritising free market principles and individual autonomy over government regulation and social welfare programs, which they saw as infringing on individual freedoms and market efficiency
• In social policy, the New Right return to traditional values, under the banner of neoconservatism, might superficially appear pragmatic, aiming to restore societal stability and order
• Why might the New Right position not be considered pragamtic?

  It was rooted more in ideological conviction than pragmatic considerations. They saw traditional values as inherently correct and desirable rather than adopting them as a practical response to social issues
• In both economic and social policy, the New Right’s positions were largely driven by ideological beliefs