exam questions conservativism 9 markers

• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the state

  Thomas Hobbes: leviathan 1651: the state is granted sovereign power by the people to ensure stability, security and order. as it reflects how he viewed human nature as horrid and therefore the need for a strong state should keep them in order.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the state

  Michael Oakeshott: the politics of faith and the politics of scepticism 1996: he believed the perfection was absurd, and the people running the government are humans who make mistakes, so we should be sceptical of the amount of power they have, he said to limit the governments role to preserve public order only.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the state

  Robert Nozick: anarchy, state, and utopia 1974: argued for a very minimal state, with its only role being to protect personal belongings and private property, otherwise, individuals should be left alone to let their liberty flourish (strong but small state).
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the economy

  private property: this is good, provides security and safety which is necessary, it is also vital for order - people see their property as an expression of themselves, and therefore see themselves in their property. Agree in the majority that excessive restrictions on private property will limit individual freedom, creativity and hard work
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the economy

   capitalism = good! Seen as the most effective sand efficient way to make wealth. Links to selfish tendencies of human nature, as people will work harder if they know they will get to keep what they earn. Argue that wealth inequality is natural and a reflection of the different talents, and hard work of individuals.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed the economy

  however; when it comes to state intervention, traditionally, the conservatives like Thomas Hobbes and Burke, even Oakeshott liked the idea of state intervention to secure order and protection of rights, however the New Right argue that the economy should be left to do its own thing, with no intervention, as this is the best way to reward people for their hard work.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed society.

  traditionally, conservatives have a paternalistic view of society, natural but people are tied to each other through responsibilities, common ties, obligations etc. tradition is increasingly important as it is the basis of these ties that bind society - any attempt to remove this radically, could harm society.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed society.

  Burke was highly critical of individualism, instead he favoured a organic view of society, highlighting the importance of the 'we' over the 'I' with 'little platoons', these and a natural hierarchy, where it was the talents of people that got them into power to govern for all of society. also attacked the FR view of equality, instead arguing that hierarchy was natural in organic societies.
• Explain and analyse three ways that conservatives have viewed society.

  the New Right challenged this idea of an organic society, instead seeing it as atomistic consisting of individuals rationally pursuing their own ends, with no thought to others in society. There should be no obligations, or traditions that tie individuals down.
• explain and analyse three ways that tradition is a significant concept for conservatist thinkers

  Michael Oakeshott argued in the 'Rationalism in Politics and Other Essays' that abstract ideas would always fail as they are not based on concrete evidence. even worse, was that the remaking of society could do untold damage to the traditions which are based on hundreds of years of practical experience. he argued that humans and societies preferred the 'familiar to the unknown'.
• explain and analyse three ways that tradition is a significant concept for conservatist thinkers

  Thomas Hobbes argues for the need of a sovereign power in his work 'Leviathan'. this links to tradition as it was reactionary against the Civil War in England where the people killed the king. Hobbes saw this as completely undesirable and focuses on traditional ideas of an all powerful leader like the monarch to bring stability to the country.
• explain and analyse three ways that tradition is a significant concept for conservatist thinkers

  Edmund Burke argued in his work 'Reflections on the Revolution in France' that human nature was not rational at all, and therefore could only rely on past traditions and customs in order to live a good life. he saw the French Revolution as a destruction of tradition that could afford to happen in England.
• explain and analyse three ways conservative thinkers view human nature

  Early Conservative thinkers were sceptical of human nature and believed in human imperfection. This can be seen in the work of Thomas Hobbes in his 1651 book "leviathan" where he articulated that human life is "nasty, brutish and short". As this is also echoed by 18th century writer, Edmund Burke in his "reflections on the French Revolution" in 1790, this demonstrates that human imperfection is an important aspect of Conservativism
• explain and analyse three ways conservative thinkers view human nature

  A second Conservative view is that humanity is best when improving in every day routines. Oakeshott argued in his 1960 work "on being conservative" that humans could improve from completing every day tasks. As Oakeshott was attempting to portray Conservatism in a better,more optimistic light than others that proceeded him, it shows a clear change but still maintains the concept of empiricism.
• explain and analyse three ways conservative thinkers view human nature

  New right thinkers argued that humans are guided by self-interest. This is the view of 20th century thinker, Ayn Rand who in her work "the virtue of selfishness" 1964 argued that humans are objectivist in self-fulfilment. As this links to her view of atomism and the impact of libertarian politicians seen in the new right 80s under Reagan and Thatcher it shows that this is a significant, modern part of Conservativism.