Conservatism merely reflects the interests of the privileged and prosperous. Discuss
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- Created on: 28-04-16 10:07
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- Conservatism merely reflects the interests of the privileged and prosperous. Discuss.
- Yes
- Neo-Liberal New Right
- Rolling back the state, reduction in welfarism
- Low taxation
- Nozick argues it is theft, as if it has been acquired justly, should not be taken away
- Keeps rich in better position at the expense of the less well-off
- Conservatives would argue it is welfare that disadvantages people as it saps them of initiative and dignity
- Also it allows rich to get richer but also the poor to get poorer
- Everyone can benefit from the dynamism and efficiency of the free markert
- Natural factors have no input on your success
- individualism 'there is no such thing as society' Thatcher
- Hierarchy replaced by meritocracy
- Trickle down theory, even if poor may receive less of a slice of the economic cake in a FM society, they will enjoy rising living standards bc the cake expands overall
- Businesses/rich benefit from tax cuts and deregulation, poor people suffer from withdrawal of social supports and trade unionism
- Meritocracy legitimises inequality 'rich deserve to be rich' and vice versa
- Authority
- It is unquestionable
- Those suited to positions of authority will rise to it naturally, 'leaders' and 'followers'
- Burke 'natural aristocracy'
- Conservatives say that it is a guarantee of social order provides stability and security
- Burke 'good order is the foundation of all things'
- Property
- Leaves limited scope for redistributive policies
- Burke, markets are 'natural' and show 'love of lucre'
- Those who work hard will get wealth
- Those who achieve property ownership in better position and viewed more favourably by Conservatives
- People have a 'stake' in society
- Extension of personality
- Tradition
- 'Stood the test of time'
- Institutions and practices proved their value
- Through this sought to advance inegalitarian social status quo characterised by endemic privilege from above
- Such thinking entangled with belief in hierarchy
- 'Democracy of the dead' Chesterton
- Need tradition to prevent anomie (Durkheim) and rootlessness, relate to human imperfection
- Organic Society
- Likens society to a living organism, each have own role
- The entire is more than the sum of its parts
- Compenents work together in necessarily unequal harmony
- Used to justify their belief in hierarchy, divisions in society ordained by nature
- Neo-Liberal New Right
- No
- One-Nation Conservatism
- Disraeli, 'noblesse oblige' have a moral duty to protect those less well-off
- Second Reform Act 1867 gave WC right to vote
- MacMillan adoption of the Middle Way mixed system of state ownership & private enterprise
- Saw revolutions of 1830 and 48 and knew growing misery of the masses would not be accepted
- Social position is an accident of birth, the poor are deserving of care, guilt complex
- Many saw still working in interests of PP bc only to stem tide of revolution
- Reform acts and improvements in housing, education etc strategic concessions to the poor
- Burke 'change in order to conserve'
- Shows poor as having no responsibilty and thus passive, lazy, dependent
- Once goal of political acquiescence achieved, further reform is 'excessive' or undesirable
- Christian Democracy
- Paternalistic at heart
- Social market economy, comprehensive welfare system and public services
- Stresses partnership and cooperation, helping society as a whole, rather than focus on indv. and competition
- Post WW2 CD parties supported principle of subsidarity which shows a pluralist, anti-elitist view of social organisation
- Willingness to practice Keynesian politics
- Not very influential on conservative ideology
- Paternalism
- Aims to assist everyone bc they cannot personally achieve maximum utility
- Focus on wider society
- P approaches have been said to restrict liberty and lead to 'infatilisation' of society
- One-Nation Conservatism
- Yes
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