Conservatism

• Nozick The Economy


  Minimalist state should detach itself from a privatised and deregulated economy merely arbitrating disputes between private economic organisations
• Hobbes Context


  Writing at time of the English Civil War, anarchy and civil unrest without clear public order
• Hobbes Human Nature


  Cynical, individuals are selfish, driven by restless and ruthless desire for supremacy and security. Humans are naturally in a 'state of war
• Hobbes The State


  The state arises contractually from individuals who seek order and security without it life is 'nasty, brutish and short'
• Hobbes Society


  Can be no society without the creation of a state, which brings about order and authority to human affairs
• Hobbes The Economy


  Constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security
• Burke Strand


  'Traditional Conservatism
• Burke Context


  English, writing at the time of the French Revolution
• Burke Human Nature


  Sceptical 'the crooked timber of humanity' is marked by a gap between aspiration and achievement. We may conceive of perfection, but we are unable to achieve it
• Burke The State


  Arises organically and should be aristocratic and driven by a hereditary elite, reared to rule in the interests of all
• Burke Society


  Society is organic and multi-faceted, comprising a host of small communities ('little platoons')
• Burke The Economy


  Trade should be organic, with free markets and laissez-faire capitalism
• Oakeshott Context


  Writing in response to post-war welfare reforms in Britain. But also disliked Thatcherism and declined an offer of a Companion of Honour from Thatcher. 'To be conservative is to prefer the known from the unknown
• Oakeshott Human Nature


  Modest, humanity is at its best when free from grand designs and focused on the routines of everyday life
• Oakeshott The State


  The state should be guided by traditional and practical concerns. Pragmatism, not dogmatism, should be its watchword
• Oakeshott Society


  Localised communities are essential for humanity's survival, especially when guided by short-term requirements, rather than abstract ideas
• Oakeshott The Economy


  Free markets are volatile and unpredictable, and may require pragmatic moderation by the state
• Rand Strand


  'New Right: Neoliberalism
• Rand Context


  Born in Russia and fled during the revolution, where her father's business was seized by the Bolsheviks
• Rand Human Nature


  Objectivist, we ought to be guided by self-interest and the pursuit of self-fulfilment
• Rand The State


  Minimalist state that is confined to law, order and national security. Should resist attempts to impose 'positive liberty
• Rand Society


  Atomistic insofar as it exists (the mere total sum of its individuals.) Any attempts to restrict individuals in the name of society should be resisted
• Rand The Economy


  Free market capitalism is 'objectivist' individualism, and should not be hindered by the state
• Nozick Strand


  'New Right: Neoliberalism
• Nozick Context


  Wrote Anarchy State and Utopia as a response to John Rawl's A Theory of Justice
• Nozick Human Nature


  Egotistical, individuals are driven by 'self ownership', allowing them to realise their full potential
• Nozick The State


  The minimalist state should merely outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services
• Nozick Society


  Society should be geared towards individual self-fulfilment. This may lead to a plethora of small, variable communities reflecting their member's diverse tastes and philosophies
• Disraeli Strand


  'One-nation Conservatism' not a key thinker
• Disraeli Context


  Prime Minister during the 19th century. Feared that Britain was becoming a country of two nations - the rich and the poor - ideas he expressed in Sybil (1845) Tory democracy was in large part a response to the extension of the franchise in the 1867 Reform Act
• Disraeli The State


  Those in power should adopt a policy of Paternalism as they have a moral obligation to serve the interests of the poorest.