A Level Revision Notes: Conservatism - Traditional Conservatism & Edmund Burke

A creed that spans over two centuries and has evolved with changing circumstances. Conservatism has just two stands, traditional and new right.

Aftermath of the French Revolution:

Origins of Conservative thinking was in reaction to the French revolution by offering a radical interpretation of Enlightenment values
Conservatives were concerned about the effects this may have upon their own security however, it was Edmund Burke who first noted what this objection meant.
Some argued that Burke thesis was just justification for the existing society, one which the ruling class were interested in.
However, Tory PMs such as Robert Peel, Canning and William Pitt were conservative in their policy practice e.g. order and property as well antipathy to revolutionary change
Change to conserve was a core idea which was seen throughout many of the Tory governments in the early 19^th century – governments who wanted to spread revolutionary change by embracing moderate reform for continuity.
Canning supported Catholic emancipation and passed legislation allowing Roman Catholics in Parliament, as well as the abolition of slavery which brought property ownership in disrepute.
Robert Peel offered another look on change to conserve by supporting the Great Reform Act of 1832 ensuring representation of the industrial towns. Peel was worried that without them, there was a great danger that they would be harnessed to property-less forces with no vested interest in the status-quo.
Peel also established the policing force leading to similar forces across the country. He asserted that “without security there can be no liberty” effectively updating what Hobbes said about the strength of the state between order and authority.

Key Thinker #2: Edmund Burke:

Dubbed the father of conservativism, supported the American and French revolution but had slight disagreements over the nature of them.
Supported Adam Smith but was a tad reluctant.
Created many tenants of Conservative thoughts such as human imperfection, empiricism, tradition and localism.
He thought that human nature would be fallible (making mistakes) and denounced the French Revolution as it had created a utopian society which was unrealistic.
Change should proceed based on fact and experience (empiricism and tradition). Society and the government were akin to a plant than machine which needed lots of paling and growth where in context, change should be cautious and organic.
Criticised the French Revolution by arguing that an equal state would eventually lead to ruling class. Whilst he praised the society of ‘little platoons’ which were autonomous he hated the highly central state already place. He also argued that the French Revolution would disregard history and tradition.

Is Conservative A Ruling Class Ideology:
Yes:	No:
Claim is made regularly by fundamentalist socialists such as Webb and revisionist socialists like Crosland.	The maintenance of order to one that appeals to all sections of society.
Those who claim this, cite Burke but he attacked the French Revolution whilst defending aristocratic rule.	Love of habit and order has echoes within all sections of society
Since Burke, Conservatives have defended property and inequality	Traditional Conservatives promote interests for the poor to ensure to maintain the one nation
Paternalism is merely an attempt to make inequality and elitists palatable to the majority	During periods of revolutionary upheaval, it is society’s most vulnerable who suffer
Stress on tradition prevents radical change.	New Right is meritocratic identifying all talents.

The Emergence of the One Nation:

The threat of disorder and insurrection persisted throughout the 19^th century which were fuelled by greater demands for democracy in the UK political system.
Disraeli and Bismarck sensed that socialism with its stress upon class conflict was beginning to take over and it was a threat to stability and tradition.
They understood that orderly change would have to be refined and social cohesion and orderly change were needed to offset class politics introduced and encouraged by Marx
This led to the importance of the nation which was ironic because up until the 19^th century, nationalism had been associated with anti-monarchism. The nation was anything but a conservative concept.
Disraeli embraced class differences but in a way that brought unity rather than rupture. This went against one-nation Conservative
One-Nation Conservative: Denotes a belief that conservatism should prioritise national unity by attending to the condition of society’s poorer classes. It has been used by Conservative politicians to justify greater state intervention in society and the economy as well as higher public spending and tax.
Disraeli and Bismarck argued that society’s classes were in fact, all members of the same national family and that revolutionary politics represented an attack on the nation itself. Disraeli argued that the nation was not al alternative to the status quo but the essence of the status quo where all classes were interested in defending the nation state.
He updated Burke’s notion or organic affinity where the aristocracy had a paternalistic duty to ‘elevate the conditions of the poor’, once this had been recognised there could be social and political progress without a bloody revolution. ‘The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy’
Philanthropy would not work, and state-sponsored social reform is needed which would distinguish conservatism from classical liberals.
One nation became associated with legislation that tempered with the effects of laisse-faire capitalism resulting in the Factory Act 1874 which restricted the rights of factory owners and landlords. Bismarck’s conservatism led to the imposition of tariffs and import controls confirming traditional conservatism’s ambivalent attitude to free market capitalism.

Response to Egalitarianism and Fascism:

During the 20^th century, political debate was reshaped by two events: the spread of socialism and the emergence of fascism.
Many conservatives regarded the existence of the Soviet Union as the most powerful example of the threat now posed by egalitarianism – an ideology based on enfolding socialism and communism challenging the belief in property and hierarchy.
In the UK this fear was underlined by an extension of the franchise and the growth of the Labour Party. Many Conservatives commonly said that socialism and communism were inevitable unless stern political action was taken.
Traditional conservatives looked to sustain a society based on property and inequality, Macmillan spoke of a ‘middle way’ between capitalism and socialism which would address economic inequality whilst respecting property rights, cultural tradition, national identity and other themes close to Conservative hearts.
It was clear in the 1930s that conservatism was prepared to sanction more state intervention so that privilege can remain, but socialism is stifled. Conservatives supported the Public Health, Housing and Factory Acts which checked market forces in the name of social cohesion and one nation.
After 1945, conservatism took steps towards the acceptance of big government which seemed to yield many of the ideas held by rival ideologies, notably those of democratic socialism and modern liberalism and thus embraced Keynesianism.
Some argued that it is was opportunistic and pragmatic and rather reactionary as conservative politicians gave in, to win elections. Many such as Crosland argued that Conservatives now “went along”
Conservatives argued that the support for Keynesianism was an updated expression of the belief in one nation and paternalism

Christian Democracy:

Outside of the UK, fascism had developed into violent nationalism and totalitarian governments leading to European politicians developing a new variant of traditional conservatism. There were a few overlaps…
Belief in Judaeo-Christian morality as a force binding society together; belief in authority and hierarchy; same emphasises upon marriage and family life; scepticism towards free market and acceptance of enlarged state comfortable with Keynesianism.
Different in its attitude to the nation state due to the fear of Nazism in Germany and many other countries.
One effect of this was to respond to supranationalism which was later embodied by the EEC and the EU.
For British conservatives the suspicion has always been that the real aim of Christian democracy’s supranationalism is to eliminate the nation as a feature and instead make the ‘region’ the focus of communal identity. Christian Democracy now became “no-nation conservatism” – Roger Scruton and therefore something for which they feel little about.
Supranationalism: Refers to a state whose authority cuts across national boundaries. Soviet Union and perhaps the EU are examples of this. British and American conservatives tend to dislike the concept seeing it as a threat to the one-nation.

Key Thinker 3 – Michael Oakeshott:

Regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the 20^th century bringing a new perspective to the core themes of tradition conservativism. Renowned for his re-interpretation human imperfection.
Qualify the negative view of human nature associated with Hobbes. He argued that men and women were “fallible but not terrible’ and ‘imperfect but not immoral’. Humanity would still able to secure ‘both pleasure and improvement through the business of everyday life’
Conservatism seemed more optimistic than socialism and liberalism – who have clear views on how society should be. He claimed that conservatives were reconciled to human imperfection by having a greater appreciation of the pleasures that already exist in life e.g. friends and family. He said they ‘prefer the familiar to the unknown’.
Affirmed the merits of an empirical and pragmatic approach to politics and life – ‘the art of life’. He argued that through experience, trial and error, wisdom would be achieved.
State existed to ‘prevent the bad rather than create the good’ restating that the best things in life emerge from routine. “keeping the ship afloat at all costs using experience to negotiate every storm and not fixating on a port that may not exist”
His cricks on the New Right claimed his philosophy was too fatalistic and underestimates the ability to shape circumstances. For the New Right such as Nozick, the ‘Oakeshott mentality’ was lazy and had allowed socialist ideas to advance unchallenged since 1945.

Is Conservatism Merely the Politics of Pragmatism:
Yes:	No:
Burke said the French revolution was an attack on abstract philosophy claiming it ignored human imperfection.	TCs is based on contentious assertions e.g. slow change is preferable to radical change
TCs have advocated an empirical approach to politics – based on what is not what should be	TCs does not reject revolution as a method of change but does so to protect society’s principals
TCs pride itself on flexibility helping to endure dramatic change	Socialists see conservatives as a ruling class ideology based on changing policies helping the elite
Pragmaticism is shown by the different policies adopted by various conservatives e.g. Peel supporting laissez-faire capitalism and McMillian being a Keynesian	Oakeshott said TCs is a psychology rather than an ideology. Reject pragmatic change if it conflicts with instincts and emotions
Oakeshott argued that conservatism is s short-term ‘getting by’ where it had no long-term objections unlike liberalism and socialism	New Right draws upon neo-liberalism whilst new right politicians such as Thatcher claim themselves ‘conviction politicians.