Edmund Burke

• Human nature

  Flawed but capable of affection when guided by tradition and custom

  Opposed to social contracts - only exists between the dead, the living and those yet to be born
• Society

  Society is organic and comprised of little platoons

  Critical of individualism
• Economy

  Free market capitalism and the alleviation of poverty by private charity
• State

  State arises organically with a natural hierarchy, where the elite rules in the common interest

  Opposed big government
• Tradition

  It provides us with 'the general bank and capital of nations and ages'
• Example

  David Cameron in 2010 - one of party's leading policy - 'The Big Society'