Core Ideas: Pragmatism, Conservatism
tradition, human
imperfection, organic Thomas Hobbes: Traditional. Gov is a means for ensuring collective security. Humans
society/state, paternalism,are selfish, competitive & self-interested, hence we aren’t suited to political life (war
comes more naturally than order as we lack self-restraint). Order only possible when
libertarianism (specifically
neo-libertarianism) we abandon freedom & delegate decision making to someone else. Political
authority justified by social contract (different to Locke, Hobbes believes consent
Strands: Traditional, One- can’t be withdrawn & freedom given to sovereign leader, not state). Many trade
Nation, New Right (Neo- liberty for safety. Liberty is overvalued (right of gov should only be questioned if
liberal –free market & their lives are endangered), sovereign isn’t subject to social contract (received
atomistic individuals and obedience & people hope to receive safety in return). Total liberty invites war.
Neo-Cons – fear of social Sovereign makes no promises to win submission, its automatic (hierarchy). Hated
fragmentation, tough on law violence (should accept authority, even if imperfect, to avoid chaos). ‘Human life in
Key Terms the state of nature will be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’. Humans are very
flawed. Mutual relationship between protection & obedience.
Atomism: Society consists of
self-reliant, independent Edmund Burke: Ideas fit all strands except libertarianism. Pragmatism brings
individuals, not collective necessary change peacefully (revolution leads to conflict & chaos). Order, property,
groups
tradition & established institutions are key features of society & can only be
Anti-permissiveness: Reject preserved through pragmatic policy (recognises when it’s necessary to change to
moral relativism, uphold conserve). Tradition = continuity & social stability, accumulated wisdom of past
traditional values, authority & demonstrated value over time (e.g. nuclear fam, monarch, hetero marriage),
discipline to maintain social preserve tradition so current & future generations can benefit, provides individuals
cohesion with historically based sense of belonging. Claims we’re imperfect, shouldn’t aim to
Change to conserve change society deliberately bcs we’re too imperfect to know how and what to
change, humans seek security & stability, not liberty or equality. Organic society
Empiricism: Knowledge & should be hierarchical (people don’t share the same ability/energy so it’s natural &
decisions should be based on
inequality justified – advocate for laissez-faires), people should be rewarded
experience & tradition
differently for different jobs (based on contribution made), ensures everyone works
Hierarchy harmoniously for overall health of social body. Paternalism & noblesse oblige justifies
aristocratic leadership, upper class raised to govern & educated on public service,
Human imperfection
elites can draw on traditions of leadership in family, traditional see this as soft
Laissez-faire paternalism as they’re born equipped, if middle/working class were to rule they’d do
so selfishly.
Noblesse oblige: Wealthy,
powerful & privileged have Oakeshott: Doesn’t fit neatly into one strand, we’re imperfect but not immoral (some
moral duty to protect less rationality), rejected ideology (lived through Chinese & Russian rev) as it leads to
fortunate
death and destruction and oversimplifies complex ideas, rational attempts to make
Organic society: all parts of sense of society distort facts, humans don’t have capacity to make sense of complex
society interconnected & modern world, no leader can fully understand society. Pragmatism delivers best
Conservatism is ultimately a interest for people without overstepping limit of public acceptance, maintains social
rejection of the age of cohesion through moderation, allows for flexibility encouraging dynamic decision-
Enlightenment. making. Human imperfection compounds the effect od ‘rational’ leaders ruling by
New right neo libs believe in ideology. ‘In political activity men sail a boundless and bottomless sea’, be
egoistical individualism suspicious of anyone who claims to know what direction society should go towards.
Ultimate pragmatist. Office of gov is to rule, not impose beliefs or activities.
One nationers share view of
imperfection, but acknowledge Ayn Rand: Neo-lib, but not neo-con (don’t describe her as New Right), moral
duty of the wealthy to support absolutist (rejects pragmatism, must be consistent, can’t be on the fence, there’s no
the less fortunate. Neo libs are ‘it depdends’). Reality exists ‘independent of men’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fear’,
more optimistic in terms of facts are facts. Rejects collectivism (incl. welfare state), re-distributing wealth
economic decisions, but
infringes on personal autonomy, focus on libertarianism through objectivism as it
pessimistic for social. Neo
focuses on upholding individual liberty (maximizing free choice and autonomy).
cons return to traditional view
that liberal societies leading to
Rejects empiricism & tradition. ‘every man is an end in himself, not the means to the
moral decline. end of others’. State only serves to uphold rule of law, tries to substitute rationality
for the individual’s reason which is immoral, intervention leads to loss of freedom,
All strands believe it’s the job limited state overall. Our own happiness should come first (altruism is immoral),
of the state/leader to preserve naturally selfish & self-interested. Redistributing wealth = altruism = immoral.
social order, no gov can
Justifies unrestricted capitalism (only system built on rational self-interest).
reliably predict outcome of
Collectivism is the political expression of altruism.
policy, and changes in family
impact other parts of society Robert Nozick: Link to libertarianism (but don’t describe as New Right). Humans are
Most differing comes from neo rational, self-aware beings with free will, so shouldn’t be treated as mere things or
libs, rejecting empiricism, as resources against their will (similar to Rand). Used notion of self-ownership
tradition, human
imperfection, organic Thomas Hobbes: Traditional. Gov is a means for ensuring collective security. Humans
society/state, paternalism,are selfish, competitive & self-interested, hence we aren’t suited to political life (war
comes more naturally than order as we lack self-restraint). Order only possible when
libertarianism (specifically
neo-libertarianism) we abandon freedom & delegate decision making to someone else. Political
authority justified by social contract (different to Locke, Hobbes believes consent
Strands: Traditional, One- can’t be withdrawn & freedom given to sovereign leader, not state). Many trade
Nation, New Right (Neo- liberty for safety. Liberty is overvalued (right of gov should only be questioned if
liberal –free market & their lives are endangered), sovereign isn’t subject to social contract (received
atomistic individuals and obedience & people hope to receive safety in return). Total liberty invites war.
Neo-Cons – fear of social Sovereign makes no promises to win submission, its automatic (hierarchy). Hated
fragmentation, tough on law violence (should accept authority, even if imperfect, to avoid chaos). ‘Human life in
Key Terms the state of nature will be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short’. Humans are very
flawed. Mutual relationship between protection & obedience.
Atomism: Society consists of
self-reliant, independent Edmund Burke: Ideas fit all strands except libertarianism. Pragmatism brings
individuals, not collective necessary change peacefully (revolution leads to conflict & chaos). Order, property,
groups
tradition & established institutions are key features of society & can only be
Anti-permissiveness: Reject preserved through pragmatic policy (recognises when it’s necessary to change to
moral relativism, uphold conserve). Tradition = continuity & social stability, accumulated wisdom of past
traditional values, authority & demonstrated value over time (e.g. nuclear fam, monarch, hetero marriage),
discipline to maintain social preserve tradition so current & future generations can benefit, provides individuals
cohesion with historically based sense of belonging. Claims we’re imperfect, shouldn’t aim to
Change to conserve change society deliberately bcs we’re too imperfect to know how and what to
change, humans seek security & stability, not liberty or equality. Organic society
Empiricism: Knowledge & should be hierarchical (people don’t share the same ability/energy so it’s natural &
decisions should be based on
inequality justified – advocate for laissez-faires), people should be rewarded
experience & tradition
differently for different jobs (based on contribution made), ensures everyone works
Hierarchy harmoniously for overall health of social body. Paternalism & noblesse oblige justifies
aristocratic leadership, upper class raised to govern & educated on public service,
Human imperfection
elites can draw on traditions of leadership in family, traditional see this as soft
Laissez-faire paternalism as they’re born equipped, if middle/working class were to rule they’d do
so selfishly.
Noblesse oblige: Wealthy,
powerful & privileged have Oakeshott: Doesn’t fit neatly into one strand, we’re imperfect but not immoral (some
moral duty to protect less rationality), rejected ideology (lived through Chinese & Russian rev) as it leads to
fortunate
death and destruction and oversimplifies complex ideas, rational attempts to make
Organic society: all parts of sense of society distort facts, humans don’t have capacity to make sense of complex
society interconnected & modern world, no leader can fully understand society. Pragmatism delivers best
Conservatism is ultimately a interest for people without overstepping limit of public acceptance, maintains social
rejection of the age of cohesion through moderation, allows for flexibility encouraging dynamic decision-
Enlightenment. making. Human imperfection compounds the effect od ‘rational’ leaders ruling by
New right neo libs believe in ideology. ‘In political activity men sail a boundless and bottomless sea’, be
egoistical individualism suspicious of anyone who claims to know what direction society should go towards.
Ultimate pragmatist. Office of gov is to rule, not impose beliefs or activities.
One nationers share view of
imperfection, but acknowledge Ayn Rand: Neo-lib, but not neo-con (don’t describe her as New Right), moral
duty of the wealthy to support absolutist (rejects pragmatism, must be consistent, can’t be on the fence, there’s no
the less fortunate. Neo libs are ‘it depdends’). Reality exists ‘independent of men’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fear’,
more optimistic in terms of facts are facts. Rejects collectivism (incl. welfare state), re-distributing wealth
economic decisions, but
infringes on personal autonomy, focus on libertarianism through objectivism as it
pessimistic for social. Neo
focuses on upholding individual liberty (maximizing free choice and autonomy).
cons return to traditional view
that liberal societies leading to
Rejects empiricism & tradition. ‘every man is an end in himself, not the means to the
moral decline. end of others’. State only serves to uphold rule of law, tries to substitute rationality
for the individual’s reason which is immoral, intervention leads to loss of freedom,
All strands believe it’s the job limited state overall. Our own happiness should come first (altruism is immoral),
of the state/leader to preserve naturally selfish & self-interested. Redistributing wealth = altruism = immoral.
social order, no gov can
Justifies unrestricted capitalism (only system built on rational self-interest).
reliably predict outcome of
Collectivism is the political expression of altruism.
policy, and changes in family
impact other parts of society Robert Nozick: Link to libertarianism (but don’t describe as New Right). Humans are
Most differing comes from neo rational, self-aware beings with free will, so shouldn’t be treated as mere things or
libs, rejecting empiricism, as resources against their will (similar to Rand). Used notion of self-ownership
