Conservatism (Edexcel A Level Politics): Flashcards
Exam code: 9PL0
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Define pragmatism.
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Cards in this collection (34)
Define pragmatism.
Pragmatism is the conservative preference for practical, cautious solutions based on experience, rather than risky 'grand plans' or abstract theories.
To what did Nozick compare taxation?
Nozick compared taxation to forced labour.
Define tradition.
Tradition is the 'accumulated wisdom' of past generations, which conservatives believe should be respected rather than discarded.
In Burke's view, society is a partnership between which three groups?
Burke argued society is a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born.
In Leviathan, Hobbes argued that life without authority is ' , brutish and short'.
In Leviathan, Hobbes argued that life without authority is 'nasty, brutish and short'.
Define human imperfection.
Human imperfection is the conservative belief that humans are flawed psychologically, morally and intellectually, and cannot be perfected.
According to paternalism, what does natural inequality create?
According to paternalism, natural inequality creates moral obligations on the powerful to care for the less fortunate.
Define the organic state.
The organic state is the idea that society is like a living organism which grows and changes naturally over time, rather than being built from a blueprint.
True or False?
The New Right is less willing than other conservatives to compromise its ideology.
True.
The New Right is less willing to compromise its ideology, unlike Traditional and One Nation conservatives who apply pragmatism.
Define paternalism.
Paternalism is the belief that the powerful have a duty ('noblesse oblige') to care for the less fortunate.
What does 'noblesse oblige' mean in conservative thought?
'Noblesse oblige' means those at the top of the hierarchy have obligations to those below them.
Define libertarianism (neo-liberalism).
Libertarianism prioritises individual freedom, especially in the economy, and wants the smallest possible state.
What are the three main strands of conservatism?
The three main strands are Traditional Conservatism, One-Nation Conservatism and the New Right.
Define Traditional Conservatism.
Traditional Conservatism emphasises social hierarchy, order and paternalism, and emerged after the French Revolution as a defence of hierarchy and order.
How did One-Nation conservatives like Disraeli propose to prevent class conflict?
One-Nation conservatives like Disraeli proposed limited reform to prevent class conflict between the 'two nations' of rich and poor, a warning he set out in Sybil (1845).
Define One-Nation Conservatism.
One-Nation Conservatism seeks to promote the unity of the whole nation across all classes while preserving the existing social hierarchy.
Macmillan's The Middle Way (1938) proposed a middle ground between and laissez-faire.
Macmillan's The Middle Way (1938) proposed a middle ground between socialism and laissez-faire.
Define the New Right.
The New Right is a late 20th-century strand combining neo-liberal free-market ideas with neo-conservative commitments to authority and public morality.
Which two sub-strands make up the New Right?
The New Right is made up of neo-liberals and neo-conservatives.
True or False?
Neo-liberals favour extensive state intervention in the economy.
False.
Neo-liberals favour minimal state intervention and free-market economics.
Which phrase did Burke use to summarise the traditional conservative approach to change?
Burke summarised the approach as 'reform to conserve'.
Define neo-conservatism.
Neo-conservatism is a New Right sub-strand concerned with social cohesion and traditional values, emphasising law, order and moral authority.
True or False?
All strands of conservatism agree that the state is necessary for order.
True.
All strands see the state as necessary for order and agree it should act pragmatically to 'change to conserve'.
How do New Right conservatives view taxation?
New Right conservatives argue that taxation is a form of theft.
What do the five conservative thinkers help explain about conservative priorities?
The five thinkers help explain why conservatives emphasise order, tradition, limited government and individual responsibility.
True or False?
Each of the five thinkers offers an identical perspective on human nature and the role of the state.
False.
Each thinker offers a different perspective on human nature, the role of the state and how society should be organised.
Whose defence of strong authority marks the earliest point on the conservative timeline?
Hobbes' defence of strong authority marks the earliest point on the conservative timeline.
The five thinkers help explain why conservatives emphasise order, tradition, and individual responsibility.
The five thinkers help explain why conservatives emphasise order, tradition, limited government and individual responsibility.
Which two thinkers are associated with arguments for minimal state intervention?
Rand and Nozick are associated with arguments for minimal state intervention.
On which three matters does each conservative thinker offer a different perspective?
Each thinker offers a different perspective on human nature, the role of the state and how society should be organised.
The timeline shows conservatism developing from Hobbes' defence of strong authority to Rand and Nozick's arguments for minimal .
The timeline shows conservatism developing from Hobbes' defence of strong authority to Rand and Nozick's arguments for minimal state intervention.
Name the five thinkers who provide the intellectual foundations of conservatism.
The five thinkers are Hobbes, Burke, Oakeshott, Rand and Nozick.
True or False?
The timeline suggests conservatism has stayed unchanged over time.
False.
The thinkers show how conservatism has developed over time, from Hobbes' strong authority to Rand and Nozick's minimal state.
What do the five thinkers provide for conservatism?
They provide the intellectual foundations of conservatism.
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