Conservatism Core Values

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  • Conservative core values
    • Tradition
      • Argue against change as tradition reflects religion
      • Tradition has wisdom from the past and has been tested by time and should therefore be preserved
      • "Change in order to conserve" - Edmund Burke
      • Example = particular importance put on the monarchy
    • Human imperfection
      • Human nature is flawed, pessimistic view of security-seeking, dependant and morally corruptible beings
      • Opposes view of human nature from liberals and socialists
      • Agrees with the view of Thomas Hobbes = prepared to sacrifice liberty in the cause of social order
      • "The life of man, solitary, brutish and short" - Thomas Hobbes
    • Organic Society
      • Due to the dependency of humans, we need to belong and be 'rooted' in society
      • Organic society in the uk is embodied in paternalism
      • Professor Noel O'sullivan argued that conception of organic unity has gradually given way to a more pragmatic vision
    • Hierarchy and authority
      • Society is naturally hierarcial and social equality is therefore rejected as both undesirable and unachievable
      • Their belief in hierarchy strengthened emphasis on aunthority
        • Society is naturally hierarcial and social equality is therefore rejected as both undesirable and unachievable
      • Such authority can only be imposed 'from above' and authority provides guidance, simplifies decisions, reduced complexities and promotes social order
    • Property
      • Conservatives attach paricular importance to private property as those who work hard will, and should, acquire wealth
      • Not only an issue for the individual but an issue for the state too
      • Harold Macmillan objected Thatchers privatisation, describing it as  "selling off the family silver"
    • Pragmatic
      • Conservatives above all are the pragmatists although of their doctrine of 'no change'
      • Rejects strongly held ideology as political action should never end in conflict

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