Edexcel Core Ideologies: Socialism,
Conservative and Liberalism Revision Notes
(Thinkers, Strands and Quotes) and Detailed
Essay Plans
Revision Notes
Conservatism Liberalism Socialism
Key Hobbes - life in state of Locke - 'night watchman' Marx – ‘classless,
quotes nature 'nasty, brutish and state stateless society’
short' Wollstonecraft - 'I do not Luxemburg - 'the masses
Burke - 'crooked timber of wish for women to have upon which the final
humanity' power over men, but over victory of the revolution
Burke - 'little platoons' themselves' will be built'
Burke - people are Wollstonecraft - 'the mind Webb – capitalism fosters
'intellectually, morally and has no gender' ‘unnatural’ levels of
psychologically imperfect' Rawls - 'inequality is only corruption and greed
Oakeshott - 'to be acceptable if it benefits the Webb - 'the welfare state
conservative is to prefer least advantaged' is not an act of charity'
the familiar to the Rawls - 'veil of ignorance' Webb - 'capitalism is a
unfamiliar, and the tried to corrupting force for
the untried' society'
Oakeshott - the world is Crosland - 'get rid of
'boundless and bottomless' every last fucking
Disraeli - aim to 'elevate grammar school'
the conditions of the poor' Giddens - 'hand up, not a
Nozick - 'tax, for the most handout'
part, is theft' Giddens - 'synergy
Rand - 'society is atomistic' between public and
Rand - 'the virtue of private sectors'
selfishness'
Rand - 'pure, unregulated,
laissez-faire capitalism'
Thatcher - 'roll back the
frontiers of the state'
Key Traditional Classical liberalism: Marxism:
strands conservatism: Originated in the - Marx and Engels
Traditional 18th century Hated capitalist
conservatives are Thinkers include ideals, rejected
committed to economists like capitalism and
hierarchic and Adam Smith (Adam wanted to
paternalistic Smith Institute) but abolish it with a
values. also thinkers violent revolution
Traditional including John - Supported
conservatism is Locke common
relatively A limited ownership
insignificant within government – - High tax, equality
the field of British therefore a small of outcome
politics. As the state – is one of - High state
term clearly the foundational intervention at
implies, traditional ideas of classical first to enable
conservatism is the liberalism socialist ideals
oldest format of Individual rights like equality and
conservative must be upheld – state ownership
thought. foundational belief - Believes the
state will
, Traditional Natural rights are disappear once
conservatism is also important; socialism has
associated strongly everyone has a set correctly been
with the concept of foundational achieved
of hierarchy. rights such as the - Equality of
In order for society right to liberty and outcome –
to function the right to life everyone should
effectively, there Key liberal ideas have the same
must be some form like - Class divisions
of hierarchy. constitutionalism are very negative
Individuals within and the rule of law and cause
society need to be are strongly societal issues –
aware of their supported want to abolish
place within and Laissez-faire class
accept their duties economics (a laid- - People are social
accordingly. For back, non- and work better
instance, those interventionist collectively
who hold the style) is preferred - Historical
highest status Negative freedoms materialism: the
have a (state preventing idea that human
responsibility to limitations on nature is shaped
look after those freedom, but not by the conditions
further down the actively supporting and
social scale. greater freedom) circumstances of
Such ideas later Relatively positive society
developed into the attitude towards
concept human nature, Democratic socialism:
of noblesse oblige, although believes - Beatrice Webb
one of the the state is - Emerges late
fundamental ideas required to keep 1800s, but
within the mindset law and order becomes more
of conservatism. (Locke’s state of significant after
Traditional nature theory) Labour’s rise to
conservatism is power in the
rooted in a time Modern liberalism: early 1900s and
when very few Emerged as a Clause IV
people had the separate school of (discussed trade
vote. The ideas thought in the unions and
and values early 20th century common
associated with Remains ownership)
traditional committed to - More left-wing
conservatives upholding civil than social
gradually evolved liberties and democracy and
to respond to an individual Third Way
expanding freedoms - Want an
franchise. This led economy based
Also remains
to the emergence on socialist
devoted to the
of the one-nation principles (not
foundational liberal
school of thought. happy with
ideas of
constitutionalism capitalism)
One Nation and the rule of law - Support more
conservatism: Supports a larger extensive
- One-nation redistribution of
state, with a
conservatism is the income
stronger role in
idea of - Believe economy
society/higher
government in the should prioritise
levels of
interests of all. It is equality and
intervention (this
centred around the justice over profit
also intersects the
ideas of noblesse - Want to achieve
economy)
oblige (privilege a socialist state
Stronger emphasis
entails through
on social justice
responsibility), parliamentary
and the state
change to reform and
having an
conserve, and democratic
important role in
supporting the principles
reducing societal
working classes. - State should
, - The one-nation inequalities and support
school of problems individual rights
Conservative Positive freedom; and equality for
thought originates state should play a all
from the role in increasing - Collectivism and
nineteenth people’s freedoms, cooperation
century, with the for example
writings of through the Social democracy:
statesman provision of welfare - Anthony Crosland
Benjamin Disraeli. Difference theory – social
- Focus is placed on (John Rawls) – democracy
more societal progressive tax visible mainly
equality, with enables the fair from 1940/50s
greater support for redistribution of through to
state intervention income, supported 1970s/80s when
to provide a ‘safety by modern liberals Third Way took
net’ for the less to reduce poverty over
fortunate, and injustice in - Evolutionary; no
preventing a society need to remove
possible uprising Positive overall capitalism, but
within the working idea of human want to edit and
classes nature; people can change it
(conservatives be rational, and are - Social democracy
feared the usually self- introduced the
revolutions seeking/self- ‘welfare state’ to
happening in the interested the UK
1800s). - Still support
- Noblesse oblige Neoliberalism: mixed economy
and paternalism Revival of typical - State
are particularly liberal ideology in intervention
associated with late 1900s should reduce
One Nation and tackle
Often associated
conservatism. inequalities
with Thatcher and
- Recent examples within society
Reagan, who led to
notably include - Equality of
a popularisation of
Boris Johnson. opportunity over
neoliberal values
and ideas equality of
Supports free outcome
The New Right: markets and a free - Supports
- New-Right economy – collectivism
conservatism is a completely - Humans are
marriage of neo- capitalist social beings
liberal and neo- Privatisation and
conservative ideas deregulation are The Third Way:
and includes very important - Anthony Giddens
elements of both Also upholds ideas - Tony Blair and
neo-liberal and of positive freedom New Labour
neo-conservative by providing - Some inequality
thinking. individuals with within socialism
- The New Right is extreme freedoms is OK (more
both economically on their economic right-wing)
libertarian and soci activity - Wants to
ally authoritarian. Believes welfarism maintain a
- They support ideas leads to capitalist
of a smaller state, dependency, so economy –
with more the welfare state economy based
emphasis placed and overall state on capitalist
on individual regulation/interven ideals like
responsibility tion is significantly privatisation and
- There is a move reduced deregulation (but
back towards less Believes people are wants some
state support for self-seeking but small
the people and require freedom to modifications to
more tolerance for behave in a capitalism)
higher levels of productive way - Lower state
Conservative and Liberalism Revision Notes
(Thinkers, Strands and Quotes) and Detailed
Essay Plans
Revision Notes
Conservatism Liberalism Socialism
Key Hobbes - life in state of Locke - 'night watchman' Marx – ‘classless,
quotes nature 'nasty, brutish and state stateless society’
short' Wollstonecraft - 'I do not Luxemburg - 'the masses
Burke - 'crooked timber of wish for women to have upon which the final
humanity' power over men, but over victory of the revolution
Burke - 'little platoons' themselves' will be built'
Burke - people are Wollstonecraft - 'the mind Webb – capitalism fosters
'intellectually, morally and has no gender' ‘unnatural’ levels of
psychologically imperfect' Rawls - 'inequality is only corruption and greed
Oakeshott - 'to be acceptable if it benefits the Webb - 'the welfare state
conservative is to prefer least advantaged' is not an act of charity'
the familiar to the Rawls - 'veil of ignorance' Webb - 'capitalism is a
unfamiliar, and the tried to corrupting force for
the untried' society'
Oakeshott - the world is Crosland - 'get rid of
'boundless and bottomless' every last fucking
Disraeli - aim to 'elevate grammar school'
the conditions of the poor' Giddens - 'hand up, not a
Nozick - 'tax, for the most handout'
part, is theft' Giddens - 'synergy
Rand - 'society is atomistic' between public and
Rand - 'the virtue of private sectors'
selfishness'
Rand - 'pure, unregulated,
laissez-faire capitalism'
Thatcher - 'roll back the
frontiers of the state'
Key Traditional Classical liberalism: Marxism:
strands conservatism: Originated in the - Marx and Engels
Traditional 18th century Hated capitalist
conservatives are Thinkers include ideals, rejected
committed to economists like capitalism and
hierarchic and Adam Smith (Adam wanted to
paternalistic Smith Institute) but abolish it with a
values. also thinkers violent revolution
Traditional including John - Supported
conservatism is Locke common
relatively A limited ownership
insignificant within government – - High tax, equality
the field of British therefore a small of outcome
politics. As the state – is one of - High state
term clearly the foundational intervention at
implies, traditional ideas of classical first to enable
conservatism is the liberalism socialist ideals
oldest format of Individual rights like equality and
conservative must be upheld – state ownership
thought. foundational belief - Believes the
state will
, Traditional Natural rights are disappear once
conservatism is also important; socialism has
associated strongly everyone has a set correctly been
with the concept of foundational achieved
of hierarchy. rights such as the - Equality of
In order for society right to liberty and outcome –
to function the right to life everyone should
effectively, there Key liberal ideas have the same
must be some form like - Class divisions
of hierarchy. constitutionalism are very negative
Individuals within and the rule of law and cause
society need to be are strongly societal issues –
aware of their supported want to abolish
place within and Laissez-faire class
accept their duties economics (a laid- - People are social
accordingly. For back, non- and work better
instance, those interventionist collectively
who hold the style) is preferred - Historical
highest status Negative freedoms materialism: the
have a (state preventing idea that human
responsibility to limitations on nature is shaped
look after those freedom, but not by the conditions
further down the actively supporting and
social scale. greater freedom) circumstances of
Such ideas later Relatively positive society
developed into the attitude towards
concept human nature, Democratic socialism:
of noblesse oblige, although believes - Beatrice Webb
one of the the state is - Emerges late
fundamental ideas required to keep 1800s, but
within the mindset law and order becomes more
of conservatism. (Locke’s state of significant after
Traditional nature theory) Labour’s rise to
conservatism is power in the
rooted in a time Modern liberalism: early 1900s and
when very few Emerged as a Clause IV
people had the separate school of (discussed trade
vote. The ideas thought in the unions and
and values early 20th century common
associated with Remains ownership)
traditional committed to - More left-wing
conservatives upholding civil than social
gradually evolved liberties and democracy and
to respond to an individual Third Way
expanding freedoms - Want an
franchise. This led economy based
Also remains
to the emergence on socialist
devoted to the
of the one-nation principles (not
foundational liberal
school of thought. happy with
ideas of
constitutionalism capitalism)
One Nation and the rule of law - Support more
conservatism: Supports a larger extensive
- One-nation redistribution of
state, with a
conservatism is the income
stronger role in
idea of - Believe economy
society/higher
government in the should prioritise
levels of
interests of all. It is equality and
intervention (this
centred around the justice over profit
also intersects the
ideas of noblesse - Want to achieve
economy)
oblige (privilege a socialist state
Stronger emphasis
entails through
on social justice
responsibility), parliamentary
and the state
change to reform and
having an
conserve, and democratic
important role in
supporting the principles
reducing societal
working classes. - State should
, - The one-nation inequalities and support
school of problems individual rights
Conservative Positive freedom; and equality for
thought originates state should play a all
from the role in increasing - Collectivism and
nineteenth people’s freedoms, cooperation
century, with the for example
writings of through the Social democracy:
statesman provision of welfare - Anthony Crosland
Benjamin Disraeli. Difference theory – social
- Focus is placed on (John Rawls) – democracy
more societal progressive tax visible mainly
equality, with enables the fair from 1940/50s
greater support for redistribution of through to
state intervention income, supported 1970s/80s when
to provide a ‘safety by modern liberals Third Way took
net’ for the less to reduce poverty over
fortunate, and injustice in - Evolutionary; no
preventing a society need to remove
possible uprising Positive overall capitalism, but
within the working idea of human want to edit and
classes nature; people can change it
(conservatives be rational, and are - Social democracy
feared the usually self- introduced the
revolutions seeking/self- ‘welfare state’ to
happening in the interested the UK
1800s). - Still support
- Noblesse oblige Neoliberalism: mixed economy
and paternalism Revival of typical - State
are particularly liberal ideology in intervention
associated with late 1900s should reduce
One Nation and tackle
Often associated
conservatism. inequalities
with Thatcher and
- Recent examples within society
Reagan, who led to
notably include - Equality of
a popularisation of
Boris Johnson. opportunity over
neoliberal values
and ideas equality of
Supports free outcome
The New Right: markets and a free - Supports
- New-Right economy – collectivism
conservatism is a completely - Humans are
marriage of neo- capitalist social beings
liberal and neo- Privatisation and
conservative ideas deregulation are The Third Way:
and includes very important - Anthony Giddens
elements of both Also upholds ideas - Tony Blair and
neo-liberal and of positive freedom New Labour
neo-conservative by providing - Some inequality
thinking. individuals with within socialism
- The New Right is extreme freedoms is OK (more
both economically on their economic right-wing)
libertarian and soci activity - Wants to
ally authoritarian. Believes welfarism maintain a
- They support ideas leads to capitalist
of a smaller state, dependency, so economy –
with more the welfare state economy based
emphasis placed and overall state on capitalist
on individual regulation/interven ideals like
responsibility tion is significantly privatisation and
- There is a move reduced deregulation (but
back towards less Believes people are wants some
state support for self-seeking but small
the people and require freedom to modifications to
more tolerance for behave in a capitalism)
higher levels of productive way - Lower state
