Conservatism – Human nature
Similarities:
+ All Conservatives believe that humans are flawed and imperfect,
especially intellectually.
A02) This makes politics a limited pursuit, in which pragmatism is
the best guide. This also serves as a rejection of utopia, impacting
the Conservative conceptualisation of politics.
‘Rage and frenzy will pull down more in half an hour than ….
Foresight can build up in a hundred years’ - Burke
A03) This is a significant area of agreement as it shapes how
Conservatives approach governing.
+ All Conservatives believe that the family is the crucial cultivator of
human nature, as this is where values are transmitted from one
generation to the next.
A02) The family is the basis of social order and continuity, shaping
human nature in a beneficial way by stressing tradition. Links to the
organic view of society, with social responsibility.
A03) All Conservatives agree that family units shape society and
provide order and security, with this being significance as it impacts
many other areas of Conservative politics
+ All Conservatives believe that human nature leans toward private
rather than public ends.
A02) Although we are sociable creatures who are constantly forming
associations (little platoons), the key to the private realm is the
family.
A03) Conservatives argue that these patterns of human behaviour
can be seen in all societies as human nature is constant and
unchanging.
Differences:
Traditional One Nation Neoconservati Neo - liberals
ves
Not optimistic Agrees with Agrees with We are rational
about human Traditional human beings which
nature - Conservatives on irrationality make decisions
irrational T the irrationality, and of off reason, and
but not absolute imperfection, therefore need
Therefore there authority. advocating for the maximum
, needs to be a moral amount of
position of ‘acceptance of guidance from freedom
authority. the current institutions like
condition of the church. ‘no state more
‘common power human than the minimal
to keep them all circumstances’ state can be
in awe’ Hobbes Oakeshott justified’ Nozick
‘government is
a matter of
experience….ev
en more
experience than
any man can
gain in his
whole life’
Burke
advocation for a
ruling class.
To what extent are the views of One Nation conservatives on human nature
consistent with those of the New Right?
Between the One Nation and New Right strands of Conservatism, there is mainly
disagreement surrounding human nature. This essay will analyse the approach of
One Nation, Neo – Liberal and Neo – Conservatives toward human nature,
concluding that there are more inconsistencies than consistencies between the
strands.
All Conservatives believe that humans are imperfect and flawed, particularly
intellectually. This makes politics a limited pursuit, with Conservatives viewing
utopia as an impossibility, and instead approaching politics with pragmatism.
This is a fundamental area of agreement, as it affects how Conservatives
perceive politics – both as a practical task and what can be realistically achieved
through politics. This is strongly outweighed, however, by disagreement between
One Nation and Neo – Liberal conservatives on the extent of human
imperfection. One Nation Conservatives see humans as unchangeably
intellectually imperfect, the New Right alternatively take a more optimistic view
of human imperfection, particularly within the economic sphere. This is a
significant area of disagreement, as it illustrates how agreements between the
strands are undermined by the approach of the strands to human imperfection.
Both One Nation and Neo – Conservatives stress human irrationality, with
Oakeshott favouring the politics of scepticism rather than the politics of faith
whilst neo conservatives advocate for moral guidance from institutions such as
the church to combat human irrationality. This agreement is of some
significance, as it emphasises the importance of tradition and customs in guiding
society, with the attitudes toward human nature therefore impacting other
aspects of Conservatism. This is undermined by the starkly contrasting attitude
of Neo – Liberals, who believe humans are rational beings who should be
Similarities:
+ All Conservatives believe that humans are flawed and imperfect,
especially intellectually.
A02) This makes politics a limited pursuit, in which pragmatism is
the best guide. This also serves as a rejection of utopia, impacting
the Conservative conceptualisation of politics.
‘Rage and frenzy will pull down more in half an hour than ….
Foresight can build up in a hundred years’ - Burke
A03) This is a significant area of agreement as it shapes how
Conservatives approach governing.
+ All Conservatives believe that the family is the crucial cultivator of
human nature, as this is where values are transmitted from one
generation to the next.
A02) The family is the basis of social order and continuity, shaping
human nature in a beneficial way by stressing tradition. Links to the
organic view of society, with social responsibility.
A03) All Conservatives agree that family units shape society and
provide order and security, with this being significance as it impacts
many other areas of Conservative politics
+ All Conservatives believe that human nature leans toward private
rather than public ends.
A02) Although we are sociable creatures who are constantly forming
associations (little platoons), the key to the private realm is the
family.
A03) Conservatives argue that these patterns of human behaviour
can be seen in all societies as human nature is constant and
unchanging.
Differences:
Traditional One Nation Neoconservati Neo - liberals
ves
Not optimistic Agrees with Agrees with We are rational
about human Traditional human beings which
nature - Conservatives on irrationality make decisions
irrational T the irrationality, and of off reason, and
but not absolute imperfection, therefore need
Therefore there authority. advocating for the maximum
, needs to be a moral amount of
position of ‘acceptance of guidance from freedom
authority. the current institutions like
condition of the church. ‘no state more
‘common power human than the minimal
to keep them all circumstances’ state can be
in awe’ Hobbes Oakeshott justified’ Nozick
‘government is
a matter of
experience….ev
en more
experience than
any man can
gain in his
whole life’
Burke
advocation for a
ruling class.
To what extent are the views of One Nation conservatives on human nature
consistent with those of the New Right?
Between the One Nation and New Right strands of Conservatism, there is mainly
disagreement surrounding human nature. This essay will analyse the approach of
One Nation, Neo – Liberal and Neo – Conservatives toward human nature,
concluding that there are more inconsistencies than consistencies between the
strands.
All Conservatives believe that humans are imperfect and flawed, particularly
intellectually. This makes politics a limited pursuit, with Conservatives viewing
utopia as an impossibility, and instead approaching politics with pragmatism.
This is a fundamental area of agreement, as it affects how Conservatives
perceive politics – both as a practical task and what can be realistically achieved
through politics. This is strongly outweighed, however, by disagreement between
One Nation and Neo – Liberal conservatives on the extent of human
imperfection. One Nation Conservatives see humans as unchangeably
intellectually imperfect, the New Right alternatively take a more optimistic view
of human imperfection, particularly within the economic sphere. This is a
significant area of disagreement, as it illustrates how agreements between the
strands are undermined by the approach of the strands to human imperfection.
Both One Nation and Neo – Conservatives stress human irrationality, with
Oakeshott favouring the politics of scepticism rather than the politics of faith
whilst neo conservatives advocate for moral guidance from institutions such as
the church to combat human irrationality. This agreement is of some
significance, as it emphasises the importance of tradition and customs in guiding
society, with the attitudes toward human nature therefore impacting other
aspects of Conservatism. This is undermined by the starkly contrasting attitude
of Neo – Liberals, who believe humans are rational beings who should be
