Conservatism - society

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  • Created by: mfwe
  • Created on: 22-05-19 13:32

Conservatism - society

Similarities

  • Trad and ON both compare society to a living being (eg a body). Society: grown over millennia, cannot be changed/altered like a machine.
  • Human imperfection - humans need a sense of security, to prevent anomie, which comes from secure social groups eg the family.
  • Everyone has a role in organic society - whether they're the 'brain' or the 'little toe'. Society must work harmoniously. There will be natural inequality in a cons society, but everyone in society has an important role. Inequality = justified by difference on responsibility that comes from each role.
  • Trad and ON agree that society = naturally hierarchical. Burke: 'natural aristocracy'; 'the wiser, stronger and more opulent' will always be at the top of a hierarchy of power.
  • Hierarchy leads to authority - duty of those at the top to lead society in a paternalistic way.
  • Power and privilege leads to responsibility - noblesse oblige states that those at top have responsibility to those throughout society.
  • Authority has duty to provide direction, security and social cohesion, Weaker members of society will give up some freedom in return for this security/cohesion (explained in Hobbes' Leviathan).
  • Movement between classes = discouraged, puts pressure on organic bonds that hold society together.
  • Trad and ON agree that society should value tradition because of their view in human nature. Tradition = key to preserving health of a society.
  • Tradition:
  • 1) Provides sense of identity/stability in changing world.
  • 2) Tested by time - Darwinian view of tradition. Institutions eg the monarchy have lasted as they work and they're good. Bad traditions die out.
  • 3) Society = 'partnership between the living, the dead and those who are yet to be born' (Burke). Valuing traditional institutions allows us to tap into ancestors' values.
  • 4) Some cons believe traditions are god-given.
  • Leads to cons fearing radical change, especially changes that disrupt traditions. Burke's 'Reflections on Rev in France' complained about the banishing of traditions in the name of rev. Need to 'change to conserve'.

Differences

  • Neo-Lib NR sceptical of organic society; Rand and Nozick's focus on individual freedom means they're unwilling to embrace organic metaphor.
  • Nozick: individuals are an end in themselves, cannot be used for a wider purpose.
  • Rand and Nozick embrace atomism, something that Trads like Burke and Oakeshott fear.
  • Neo-Lib NR disagrees with Trad/ON view of natural aristocracy/hierarchy. Rand + Nozick's belief of individualism leads them to reject Burke's natural aristocracy. Their societies = strictly meritocratic, any individual able to achieve through talent and effort.
  • NR conflicted over tradition; Rand and Nozick supported radical economic change, Thatcher and Reagan changed a huge amount in their time in power. HOWEVER both respected traditional institutions and embraced Judeo-Christian morality (eg support of traditional family values) (eg Section 28 - banned promotion of homosexuality).

Overall comparison

In conclusion, whilst there is more common agreement between the strands over society, the NR mostly rejects Trad and ON's advocacy of an organic society and a natural hierarchy, but is conflicted over tradition.

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