Conservatism Essay plans
Conservatism and the state
To what extent are conservatives united in their attitude towards the state?
Para 1 – conservatives are united – In their view of the state's role within the economy
- All strands of conservatism agree that there should be a free market where the government takes a laissez-
faire approach rather than implementing too many regulations, which would inherently encroach on the
autonomy of the individual which conservatives would universally condemn.
- Despite their advocacy for state intervention in the economy, One-nation conservatives are firmly opposed
to the state dictating the lives of its citizens – a line of thinking which is similar to neo-liberals who strongly
advocate the importance of atomism and the importance of individual autonomy.
- For these reasons, Conservatives are united in their condemnation of command economies with states who
push for overly authoritarian policies such as collectivisation and the state ownership of the means of
production.
Counter – conservatives are not united – they differ on the levels of government intervention that should exist
within the economic system
- For example, One-nation conservatives take a paternalistic stance on the state's role within the economy
- They have over the years favoured Keynesian economics to ensure full employment for example, which
would require a much more active role for the state within the economy – they do so out of fear for
revolution and chaos brought about by rapid industrial change – if there was no safety net in the form of an
interventionalist state society would begin to break down and create conditions for revolution.
- On the other hand, Neo-liberals believe that a state that interferes too much in economic freedom has no
justification to exist.
- They therefore favour a laissez-faire system economic system with a minimal state that is only concerned
with the enforcement of contracts and protection against theft – they are also wary of imposing overly-
restrictive regulation and excessive rates of taxation – for example, Richard Nozick was particularly against
the idea of the redistribution of wealth through state taxation because it undermines the rights of the
individual – he famously referred to this as a form of “legalised theft”.
Para 2 – conservatives are not united – because of their contrasting views of human nature
- Thomas Hobbes and Edmund Burke believed that human nature was immoral by design, this stemmed from
the belief in the original sin in Christianity, a religion that is often associated with conservatism.
- Due to this understanding of humanity, Hobbes could not imagine society existing in harmony without the
state, he famously said that without the state enforcing law and order, life would be ‘tough, brutish and
short’, this was because he believed that if we were allowed to act as we wished, the very worst of human
nature would manifest itself as people did everything to protect their own personal liberty and security.
- Therefore, he believed that a state was not only ideal but necessary to ensure order and security.
- This is in direct contract with the views of neo-liberals such as Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick who argued that
human nature, while not perfect was egotistical and objectivist, they did not see selfishness as immoral, but
instead a road to self-fulfilment which was inherently good.
- Therefore, they believed that as rational beings, individuals in society should be allowed to live how they
wanted to without any interference from the state.
Counter – conservatives are united – there is some degree of unity within the conservative ideology regarding
human nature and the state's role within society because of it
- For example, One-nation conservatives profess the necessity of the state in ensuring the militainment of
social harmony through its promotion of social justice.
- This is similar to Neo-conservatives who are primarily focused upon questions of morality and the need for
the state in promoting social order.
Conservatism and the state
To what extent are conservatives united in their attitude towards the state?
Para 1 – conservatives are united – In their view of the state's role within the economy
- All strands of conservatism agree that there should be a free market where the government takes a laissez-
faire approach rather than implementing too many regulations, which would inherently encroach on the
autonomy of the individual which conservatives would universally condemn.
- Despite their advocacy for state intervention in the economy, One-nation conservatives are firmly opposed
to the state dictating the lives of its citizens – a line of thinking which is similar to neo-liberals who strongly
advocate the importance of atomism and the importance of individual autonomy.
- For these reasons, Conservatives are united in their condemnation of command economies with states who
push for overly authoritarian policies such as collectivisation and the state ownership of the means of
production.
Counter – conservatives are not united – they differ on the levels of government intervention that should exist
within the economic system
- For example, One-nation conservatives take a paternalistic stance on the state's role within the economy
- They have over the years favoured Keynesian economics to ensure full employment for example, which
would require a much more active role for the state within the economy – they do so out of fear for
revolution and chaos brought about by rapid industrial change – if there was no safety net in the form of an
interventionalist state society would begin to break down and create conditions for revolution.
- On the other hand, Neo-liberals believe that a state that interferes too much in economic freedom has no
justification to exist.
- They therefore favour a laissez-faire system economic system with a minimal state that is only concerned
with the enforcement of contracts and protection against theft – they are also wary of imposing overly-
restrictive regulation and excessive rates of taxation – for example, Richard Nozick was particularly against
the idea of the redistribution of wealth through state taxation because it undermines the rights of the
individual – he famously referred to this as a form of “legalised theft”.
Para 2 – conservatives are not united – because of their contrasting views of human nature
- Thomas Hobbes and Edmund Burke believed that human nature was immoral by design, this stemmed from
the belief in the original sin in Christianity, a religion that is often associated with conservatism.
- Due to this understanding of humanity, Hobbes could not imagine society existing in harmony without the
state, he famously said that without the state enforcing law and order, life would be ‘tough, brutish and
short’, this was because he believed that if we were allowed to act as we wished, the very worst of human
nature would manifest itself as people did everything to protect their own personal liberty and security.
- Therefore, he believed that a state was not only ideal but necessary to ensure order and security.
- This is in direct contract with the views of neo-liberals such as Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick who argued that
human nature, while not perfect was egotistical and objectivist, they did not see selfishness as immoral, but
instead a road to self-fulfilment which was inherently good.
- Therefore, they believed that as rational beings, individuals in society should be allowed to live how they
wanted to without any interference from the state.
Counter – conservatives are united – there is some degree of unity within the conservative ideology regarding
human nature and the state's role within society because of it
- For example, One-nation conservatives profess the necessity of the state in ensuring the militainment of
social harmony through its promotion of social justice.
- This is similar to Neo-conservatives who are primarily focused upon questions of morality and the need for
the state in promoting social order.
