1. To what extent do different conservatives agree on the importance of
paternalism?
HUMANS IN SOCIETY, STATE GUIDING SOCIETY, ECONOMIC PATERNALISM
POINT: Society paternalism- they agree
EVIDENCE:
Burke- Humans capable of kindness if rooted in the wisdom and teachings of the
church
Disraeli- address economic inequality
Oakeshott- humans are capable of kindness, solidarity and generosity if framed by
routine and religion.
COUNTERPOINT: Disagree- noblesse oblige vs objectivism
EVIDENCE:
- Burke- natural aristocracy where the ruling class are born and raised to rule
in the best interests of the people- soft paternalism with the idea of
noblesse oblige. Oakeshott’s idea of humans being capable of solidarity
and kindness.
- Ayn Rand- Objectivism. The virtue of selfishness- humans should not feel
compelled to altruism, but instead be guided by individual self happiness
and fulfilment. Since society is just a loose collection of people, we are not
obliged at all to help one another
JUDGEMENT:
POINT: State Paternalism agree- society guided by state (moral laws and law
and order) due to human imperfection
EVIDENCE:
Agreement on human imperfection and thus society needs to be guided by the
state like a parent
- Thomas Hobbes Leviathan- life without a strong state is “nasty, brutish and
short”- state needs to be strong and enforce law and order (like a parent) in
order to temper the worst effects of flawed and selfish human nature.
(Original Sin)
- New Right- fear over permissive moral culture of the 60s and 70s= strong
enforcement of moral laws (Thatcher and Reagan anti abortion, anti
homosexuality, Thatcher law and order)
COUNTERPOINT:Disagree- Neoliberals believe that humans are naturally
rational and individualistic and therefore state should be limited, non
paternalistic, non authoritarian.
EVIDENCE:
- NEW RIGHT: Ayn Rand- objectivism and the virtue of selfishness- humans
should not feel compelled to altruism, but are guided by the pursuit of
individual happiness and self fulfilment. Atomistic. Paternalism will only lead
to dependency and hamper self fulfilment
- Disagree with state intervention in the personal lives of the people- state
, should ONLY exist to provide law and order.
JUDGEMENT: Traditional, One Nation, and to a certain extent Neoconservative
branches conservatism believe that the state needs to provide security and
guidance to combat human imperfection, but Neoliberalism believes that humans
are rational and capable to maintain an ordered society without a paternalistic
state.
POINT: Economic paternalism agree (One Nation Disraeli, Traditional- Burke
and during COVID)
EVIDENCE:
Belief in gov interference in the economy to temper the worst effects of capitalism,
in times of crisis
- Harold Macmillan and the post war consensus- NHS, welfare etc. Modern
Tories during COVID
- Disraeli
- Burke’s view that the unpredictability of the market should be approached
with caution
COUNTERPOINT: Economic paternalism disagree (New Right vs One Nation)
EVIDENCE:
New Right: Laissez Faire
- Von Hayek- market should be left alone to forces of supply and demand as
one group of people cannot understand such a complex thing as economy.
Economic intervention and inflation of state power in economy will lead to
an inflation of their political power and thus infringement on rights.
Anti-Keynsian.
- Thatcher’s deregulation, privatisation.
- Nozick tax is theft
One Nation Conservatives- economic paternalism.
- Harold Macmillan- One nation conservative- economic intervention needed
in post war consensus= NHS, welfare strengthened. Also seen during
COVID- furlough, eat out to help out, US economic stimulus checks.
JUDGEMENT: Do not agree in terms of government spending as a form of
paternalism
CONCLUSION:
, 2. To what extent is conservatism a philosophy of imperfection?
MORALLY
PSYCHOLOGICALLY (SOCIETY)
INTELLECTUALLY (ECONOMY)
POINT: It is the philosophy of human moral imperfection
EVIDENCE:
Traditional Conservatives belief that humans are inherently selfish, brutal in their
pursuit of self happiness and fulfilment. Importance placed on a strong state in
Conservatism is rooted in this view of human nature.
Hobbes- the state of nature is chaos- life is “nasty, brutish and short” without
authority structures as humans are inherently selfish and brutal, cannot be trusted.
State is needed to restrain individuals who are morally imperfect and brutally
selfish.
Based on the idea of original sin.
Neoconservatism (Thatcher and Reagan) endorsed the idea of moral imperfection
as justification of their strict moral rules (homosexuality, abortion)- as a rection to
the “permissive” culture of the 1960s. Humans are morally imperfect and thus need
guidance.
COUNTERPOINT: One Nation Conservatives believe that human selfishness
is somewhat tempered by altruistic tendencies.
EVIDENCE:
Disraeli’s ideas of paternalism and noblesse oblige- paternalistic view of human
nature that sees human capacity for empathy and caring that contradicts Hobbes’
view that humans are solely self serving.
Oakeshott belief that human nature is benign if framed by routine and religion.
JUDGEMENT:
Despite early depiction of human nature as morally imperfect, innately self serving
and cynically brutal (Hobbes), Conservatism has developed since then, and later
Conservatives have argued that humans have a greater potential for kindness and
morality, hence it is a philosophy beyond that of human imperfection.
POINT: Humans are psychologically imperfect and dependent- fear isolation
and instability.
EVIDENCE:
Burke- Society arranges itself organically into “little platoons” which provide
security, belonging and identity. Reinforces the view that human psychological
imperfection renders them dependent on communities and society in order to
function.
COUNTERPOINT: Neo liberals/ Neo conservatives have a more optimistic
view of human psychological competence
EVIDENCE:
paternalism?
HUMANS IN SOCIETY, STATE GUIDING SOCIETY, ECONOMIC PATERNALISM
POINT: Society paternalism- they agree
EVIDENCE:
Burke- Humans capable of kindness if rooted in the wisdom and teachings of the
church
Disraeli- address economic inequality
Oakeshott- humans are capable of kindness, solidarity and generosity if framed by
routine and religion.
COUNTERPOINT: Disagree- noblesse oblige vs objectivism
EVIDENCE:
- Burke- natural aristocracy where the ruling class are born and raised to rule
in the best interests of the people- soft paternalism with the idea of
noblesse oblige. Oakeshott’s idea of humans being capable of solidarity
and kindness.
- Ayn Rand- Objectivism. The virtue of selfishness- humans should not feel
compelled to altruism, but instead be guided by individual self happiness
and fulfilment. Since society is just a loose collection of people, we are not
obliged at all to help one another
JUDGEMENT:
POINT: State Paternalism agree- society guided by state (moral laws and law
and order) due to human imperfection
EVIDENCE:
Agreement on human imperfection and thus society needs to be guided by the
state like a parent
- Thomas Hobbes Leviathan- life without a strong state is “nasty, brutish and
short”- state needs to be strong and enforce law and order (like a parent) in
order to temper the worst effects of flawed and selfish human nature.
(Original Sin)
- New Right- fear over permissive moral culture of the 60s and 70s= strong
enforcement of moral laws (Thatcher and Reagan anti abortion, anti
homosexuality, Thatcher law and order)
COUNTERPOINT:Disagree- Neoliberals believe that humans are naturally
rational and individualistic and therefore state should be limited, non
paternalistic, non authoritarian.
EVIDENCE:
- NEW RIGHT: Ayn Rand- objectivism and the virtue of selfishness- humans
should not feel compelled to altruism, but are guided by the pursuit of
individual happiness and self fulfilment. Atomistic. Paternalism will only lead
to dependency and hamper self fulfilment
- Disagree with state intervention in the personal lives of the people- state
, should ONLY exist to provide law and order.
JUDGEMENT: Traditional, One Nation, and to a certain extent Neoconservative
branches conservatism believe that the state needs to provide security and
guidance to combat human imperfection, but Neoliberalism believes that humans
are rational and capable to maintain an ordered society without a paternalistic
state.
POINT: Economic paternalism agree (One Nation Disraeli, Traditional- Burke
and during COVID)
EVIDENCE:
Belief in gov interference in the economy to temper the worst effects of capitalism,
in times of crisis
- Harold Macmillan and the post war consensus- NHS, welfare etc. Modern
Tories during COVID
- Disraeli
- Burke’s view that the unpredictability of the market should be approached
with caution
COUNTERPOINT: Economic paternalism disagree (New Right vs One Nation)
EVIDENCE:
New Right: Laissez Faire
- Von Hayek- market should be left alone to forces of supply and demand as
one group of people cannot understand such a complex thing as economy.
Economic intervention and inflation of state power in economy will lead to
an inflation of their political power and thus infringement on rights.
Anti-Keynsian.
- Thatcher’s deregulation, privatisation.
- Nozick tax is theft
One Nation Conservatives- economic paternalism.
- Harold Macmillan- One nation conservative- economic intervention needed
in post war consensus= NHS, welfare strengthened. Also seen during
COVID- furlough, eat out to help out, US economic stimulus checks.
JUDGEMENT: Do not agree in terms of government spending as a form of
paternalism
CONCLUSION:
, 2. To what extent is conservatism a philosophy of imperfection?
MORALLY
PSYCHOLOGICALLY (SOCIETY)
INTELLECTUALLY (ECONOMY)
POINT: It is the philosophy of human moral imperfection
EVIDENCE:
Traditional Conservatives belief that humans are inherently selfish, brutal in their
pursuit of self happiness and fulfilment. Importance placed on a strong state in
Conservatism is rooted in this view of human nature.
Hobbes- the state of nature is chaos- life is “nasty, brutish and short” without
authority structures as humans are inherently selfish and brutal, cannot be trusted.
State is needed to restrain individuals who are morally imperfect and brutally
selfish.
Based on the idea of original sin.
Neoconservatism (Thatcher and Reagan) endorsed the idea of moral imperfection
as justification of their strict moral rules (homosexuality, abortion)- as a rection to
the “permissive” culture of the 1960s. Humans are morally imperfect and thus need
guidance.
COUNTERPOINT: One Nation Conservatives believe that human selfishness
is somewhat tempered by altruistic tendencies.
EVIDENCE:
Disraeli’s ideas of paternalism and noblesse oblige- paternalistic view of human
nature that sees human capacity for empathy and caring that contradicts Hobbes’
view that humans are solely self serving.
Oakeshott belief that human nature is benign if framed by routine and religion.
JUDGEMENT:
Despite early depiction of human nature as morally imperfect, innately self serving
and cynically brutal (Hobbes), Conservatism has developed since then, and later
Conservatives have argued that humans have a greater potential for kindness and
morality, hence it is a philosophy beyond that of human imperfection.
POINT: Humans are psychologically imperfect and dependent- fear isolation
and instability.
EVIDENCE:
Burke- Society arranges itself organically into “little platoons” which provide
security, belonging and identity. Reinforces the view that human psychological
imperfection renders them dependent on communities and society in order to
function.
COUNTERPOINT: Neo liberals/ Neo conservatives have a more optimistic
view of human psychological competence
EVIDENCE:
