traditional conservatism overview

• The strand committed to hieracharal and paternalistic values
• Key thinkers - Burke, Hobbes, Oakeshott
• Origins - 18th century as a reaction to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution
• Focuses on organicism

  • Traditional institutions like family, monarchy, the church ensure stability and bind society together
  • Change based on pragmatism
• Focuses on hierachy

  • Nobless oblige - a form of paternalism which ensures hierachy is well maintained
  • People are unequal and deserve different outcomes for different contributions
  • Natural hierachy - upper class educated to rule
• Strengths - order is preserved
• Strengths - there is an obligation to reduce inequality
• Strengths - common tradition unites communities
• Strengths - makes sense that the best informed and educated in society are at the top
• Weaknesses - sometimrs drastic change is necessary to tackle inequality
• Weaknesses - does not allow for alternate views/multi culturalism
• Weaknesses - cannot always solve modern probolems with traditional solutions
• Weaknesses - lack of representation + social mobility reduced