Conservatism Quote bank
The state
Type Person Quote
Traditional Thomas Hobbes ‘How could a state be
governed, or protected in its
foreign relations if every
individual remained free to
obey the law according to
their own opinion?’
‘a common power to keep
them all in awe’
Traditional Edmund Burke ‘pruning’ ‘grafting’
- State resembled
living organism and
may be changed
when necessary
through gentle^
‘Your representative owes
you, not his industry only,
but his judgment; and he
betrays instead of serving
you if he sacrifices it to your
opinion’
One nation Michael Oakeshott ‘The office of government is
merely to rule’
Libertarian Robert Nozick ‘Night watchman’ state
One nation Disraeli ‘The palace is not safe when
the cottage is not happy’
New right Ayn Rand ‘while the state becomes
flabby it also becomes
feeble’
Human Nature
Type Person Quote
Traditional Thomas Hobbes ‘Restless desire for power’
in a ‘state of nature’
- Humans are needy
and vulnerable
- Humans are easily
led astray in their
The state
Type Person Quote
Traditional Thomas Hobbes ‘How could a state be
governed, or protected in its
foreign relations if every
individual remained free to
obey the law according to
their own opinion?’
‘a common power to keep
them all in awe’
Traditional Edmund Burke ‘pruning’ ‘grafting’
- State resembled
living organism and
may be changed
when necessary
through gentle^
‘Your representative owes
you, not his industry only,
but his judgment; and he
betrays instead of serving
you if he sacrifices it to your
opinion’
One nation Michael Oakeshott ‘The office of government is
merely to rule’
Libertarian Robert Nozick ‘Night watchman’ state
One nation Disraeli ‘The palace is not safe when
the cottage is not happy’
New right Ayn Rand ‘while the state becomes
flabby it also becomes
feeble’
Human Nature
Type Person Quote
Traditional Thomas Hobbes ‘Restless desire for power’
in a ‘state of nature’
- Humans are needy
and vulnerable
- Humans are easily
led astray in their
