To what extent do conservatives agree on the role of the state?
Conservatism is often known as the politics of pragmatism, whereby the views of
conservatives are not so much a coherent ideology as they are a set of beliefs as to how fast
society should progress, therefore when considering the role of the state in conservatism
there are a range of ideas and opinions held by key thinkers that are not completely uniform
with one another.
For example, conservative thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, and Edmund Burke saw the state
as a necessary body of authority that had to oversee every aspect of our lives in order to
ensure order and stability,
whilst more contemporary conservatives like Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick rejected this
notion and believed that the state should be as small as possible and only act to ensure
order and stability when necessary, with no attempts to promote positive liberty.
These differences are in line with how the former two thinkers see human nature as
cynically immoral, while the latter two believe humans are rational, selfish beings. In
practice, however, one nation conservatives and the new right have disagreements primarily
on the economic side rather than on social issues. Therefore whilst conservatives thinkers
generally disagree about the role of the state, it is based on their differing views about
human nature and how they embrace it, rather than specific views on the state.
Point 1
One reason conservatives disagree about the role of the state is because they have
contrasting views on human nature,
Evidence/examples Evaluation
- Hobbes believed that life was Therefore their belief that a state was not
‘brutish and short’ before the only ideal but necessary to ensure order
emergence of the state and security. Furthermore, as evidenced in
hobbes book leviathan, he believed that
- Trad conservative belief that the state should be all-powerful in order to
humans were naturally immoral fulfil its duty to the people, as he believed
stems from the christian belief of that if power were to be dispersed mini
the original sin conflicts would arise and therefore the
state should hold all the power.
- This view of an authoritarian state
is in direct contrast to the views of
Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick, they Therefore, it is clear that there is
argued that human nature, while disagreement on the role of the state that
not perfect was egotistical and is primarily caused by the differing views
objectivist, they did not see on how human nature manifests itself in a
selfishness as immoral, but instead society without the intervention of the
a road to self-fulfilment which was state.
inherently good.
, - Nozick wanted a minarchist ‘night
watchman’ state so if order was put
at risk then the state would mitigate
the problem then return to the
‘sidelines’ rather than being
permanently powerful like that
under Burke or Hobbes philosophy.
Rand and Nozick believed that
negative liberty should be afforded
to all in society and any attempts
from the state to promote positive
liberty; whereby they intervene to
‘help’ people, should be resisted as
the state has no business in
interfering with the daily lives of
autonomous citizens.
Point 2
There is more agreement however between conservatives on the role of the state in the
economy, generally they agreed that there should be a free market where the government
takes a laissez-faire approach rather than implementing too many regulations, however,
there is still some disagreement.
Evidence/examples Evaluation
- in line with their beliefs in
objectivism, Rand and Nozick
believe that the market should be
almost entirely free from
government intervention as the
market is a means to which
individuals can pursue happiness in
the form of profits, as humans are
selfish and egotistical a free market
essentially the perfect expression
of human greed which to the
aforementioned thinkers is good
rather than bad.
- they believed that allowing people
to trade freely unlocks the potential
for people to make significant
advancements in society, this view
was the main basis of Rand’s novel
Atlas shrugged where the state had
taken such overriding control of the
Conservatism is often known as the politics of pragmatism, whereby the views of
conservatives are not so much a coherent ideology as they are a set of beliefs as to how fast
society should progress, therefore when considering the role of the state in conservatism
there are a range of ideas and opinions held by key thinkers that are not completely uniform
with one another.
For example, conservative thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, and Edmund Burke saw the state
as a necessary body of authority that had to oversee every aspect of our lives in order to
ensure order and stability,
whilst more contemporary conservatives like Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick rejected this
notion and believed that the state should be as small as possible and only act to ensure
order and stability when necessary, with no attempts to promote positive liberty.
These differences are in line with how the former two thinkers see human nature as
cynically immoral, while the latter two believe humans are rational, selfish beings. In
practice, however, one nation conservatives and the new right have disagreements primarily
on the economic side rather than on social issues. Therefore whilst conservatives thinkers
generally disagree about the role of the state, it is based on their differing views about
human nature and how they embrace it, rather than specific views on the state.
Point 1
One reason conservatives disagree about the role of the state is because they have
contrasting views on human nature,
Evidence/examples Evaluation
- Hobbes believed that life was Therefore their belief that a state was not
‘brutish and short’ before the only ideal but necessary to ensure order
emergence of the state and security. Furthermore, as evidenced in
hobbes book leviathan, he believed that
- Trad conservative belief that the state should be all-powerful in order to
humans were naturally immoral fulfil its duty to the people, as he believed
stems from the christian belief of that if power were to be dispersed mini
the original sin conflicts would arise and therefore the
state should hold all the power.
- This view of an authoritarian state
is in direct contrast to the views of
Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick, they Therefore, it is clear that there is
argued that human nature, while disagreement on the role of the state that
not perfect was egotistical and is primarily caused by the differing views
objectivist, they did not see on how human nature manifests itself in a
selfishness as immoral, but instead society without the intervention of the
a road to self-fulfilment which was state.
inherently good.
, - Nozick wanted a minarchist ‘night
watchman’ state so if order was put
at risk then the state would mitigate
the problem then return to the
‘sidelines’ rather than being
permanently powerful like that
under Burke or Hobbes philosophy.
Rand and Nozick believed that
negative liberty should be afforded
to all in society and any attempts
from the state to promote positive
liberty; whereby they intervene to
‘help’ people, should be resisted as
the state has no business in
interfering with the daily lives of
autonomous citizens.
Point 2
There is more agreement however between conservatives on the role of the state in the
economy, generally they agreed that there should be a free market where the government
takes a laissez-faire approach rather than implementing too many regulations, however,
there is still some disagreement.
Evidence/examples Evaluation
- in line with their beliefs in
objectivism, Rand and Nozick
believe that the market should be
almost entirely free from
government intervention as the
market is a means to which
individuals can pursue happiness in
the form of profits, as humans are
selfish and egotistical a free market
essentially the perfect expression
of human greed which to the
aforementioned thinkers is good
rather than bad.
- they believed that allowing people
to trade freely unlocks the potential
for people to make significant
advancements in society, this view
was the main basis of Rand’s novel
Atlas shrugged where the state had
taken such overriding control of the
