CONSERVATISM
THE ECONOMY
Economic involvement
They agree They disagree
Economy founded on Level of state intervention
private ownership- state
control kept to what is Traditional and one nation
necessary - keynesianism (paternalistic overview of the country with the goal of full
employment, stopping the threat of two nations, the have’s and have
Humans are naturally not’s (Disraeli))
competitive → private - limits support for socialism and ideological revolutions- traditionals
ownership aligns best with believe in evolutionary reform through pragmatic changes
our nature - limited interventionist economic management techniques eg. higher tax
and public spending on welfare to tackle drawbacks of private
ownership (traditionals like Hobbes)
New Right neo-liberals
- Absolute private ownership and deregulation of the economy-
importance of individual freedom
- Taxation and spending- minimum
- Minarchist not interventionist state- oversees disputes between private
organisations - Nozick
- Ayn Rand (The fountainhead 1943) - laissez faire, privatised
economy- compatible with human self interest and the expression of
objectivist individualism should not be hindered by the state- ‘man must
be the beneficiary of his own moral actions’
Attitudes towards the economy
They agree They disagree
Favour capitalism and How good free-market capitalism is
believe that free-market
capitalism has potential for Traditional and one nation
good at the very least - It’s potential can only be actualised through intervention
- Completely untamed fmc highlights inequality and threatens a united
When it prospers and nation
wealth is created, risk of - 19th century- tariffs introduced by traditionalists to shelter society from
rebellion is reduced harmful aspects of laissez faire- Oakeshott (On human conduct
1975) - free markets are unpredictable so we need to call upon
Most fulfilling and pragmatism like this
rewarding system
New Right
- Only a positive force for good- reduces dependency on welfare
- Nozick (Anarchy, State and Utopia 1974) - forced intervention is
immoral as it requires imposing taxes → form of slavery, uses people
as a means to an end and devalues intrinsic dignity ‘taxation of
earnings from labour is on par with forced labour’ (Kant) hence only
self ownership is moral
, Wider economic impacts of capitalism
They agree They disagree
Promotes cosmopolitan How they feel about this expansion of capitalism
societies because it is
successful so has potential Traditional and neo-conservatives
to expand globally - Traditional- Multiculturalism and globalisation could erode their sense
of national identity and culture which threatens one nation ideology
Could increase immigration - Neocons- Thatcher felt threatened by immigration in the 60s
and multiculturalism
Neo-liberals
- Immigration is a neutral side effect not a hindrance of the effective
economic system and of people’s individual choice
- Atomism and objectivism, Ayn Rand, makes them indifferent
- Not concerned with preserving a united nation- society is a collection of
individuals and multiculturalism has no effect on an individuals rational
self-interest and fulfilment
HUMAN NATURE
Human imperfection
They agree They disagree
Pessimistic (mostly) Not all conservatives see these traits as imperfect
Because of our human Traditional and neo-conservatives
nature we should stray - These traits are innate so we are intrinsically imperfect
from ideology and stick to - We can mitigate and adapt to these qualities with capitalism- but they
tradition, pragmatism and aren’t good
empiricism- we are too - Trying to exist in Hobbes’ ‘state of nature’ would make us revert back
aggressive, selfish and to a ‘war of every man against every man’- we need order from
competitive for fraternity or capitalism to combat this
equality
Neo-liberals
We need capitalism - These traits are good- we need capitalism to preserve them
because of our human - Atomistic individualism- require these qualities for self-reliance
nature - Ayn Rand- altruism creates an artificial sense of obligation and doesn’t
align with rational self interest- selfishness is not imperfect
- Nozick- these qualities enhance self ownership (John Locke-
autonomy over labour, talents, bodies etc) and deter us from an
organic, dependent society BUT he lies in the middle- preservation of
life liberty and prosperity leaves potential for theft and violence which
humans are more than capable of- not all of our nature is good
THE ECONOMY
Economic involvement
They agree They disagree
Economy founded on Level of state intervention
private ownership- state
control kept to what is Traditional and one nation
necessary - keynesianism (paternalistic overview of the country with the goal of full
employment, stopping the threat of two nations, the have’s and have
Humans are naturally not’s (Disraeli))
competitive → private - limits support for socialism and ideological revolutions- traditionals
ownership aligns best with believe in evolutionary reform through pragmatic changes
our nature - limited interventionist economic management techniques eg. higher tax
and public spending on welfare to tackle drawbacks of private
ownership (traditionals like Hobbes)
New Right neo-liberals
- Absolute private ownership and deregulation of the economy-
importance of individual freedom
- Taxation and spending- minimum
- Minarchist not interventionist state- oversees disputes between private
organisations - Nozick
- Ayn Rand (The fountainhead 1943) - laissez faire, privatised
economy- compatible with human self interest and the expression of
objectivist individualism should not be hindered by the state- ‘man must
be the beneficiary of his own moral actions’
Attitudes towards the economy
They agree They disagree
Favour capitalism and How good free-market capitalism is
believe that free-market
capitalism has potential for Traditional and one nation
good at the very least - It’s potential can only be actualised through intervention
- Completely untamed fmc highlights inequality and threatens a united
When it prospers and nation
wealth is created, risk of - 19th century- tariffs introduced by traditionalists to shelter society from
rebellion is reduced harmful aspects of laissez faire- Oakeshott (On human conduct
1975) - free markets are unpredictable so we need to call upon
Most fulfilling and pragmatism like this
rewarding system
New Right
- Only a positive force for good- reduces dependency on welfare
- Nozick (Anarchy, State and Utopia 1974) - forced intervention is
immoral as it requires imposing taxes → form of slavery, uses people
as a means to an end and devalues intrinsic dignity ‘taxation of
earnings from labour is on par with forced labour’ (Kant) hence only
self ownership is moral
, Wider economic impacts of capitalism
They agree They disagree
Promotes cosmopolitan How they feel about this expansion of capitalism
societies because it is
successful so has potential Traditional and neo-conservatives
to expand globally - Traditional- Multiculturalism and globalisation could erode their sense
of national identity and culture which threatens one nation ideology
Could increase immigration - Neocons- Thatcher felt threatened by immigration in the 60s
and multiculturalism
Neo-liberals
- Immigration is a neutral side effect not a hindrance of the effective
economic system and of people’s individual choice
- Atomism and objectivism, Ayn Rand, makes them indifferent
- Not concerned with preserving a united nation- society is a collection of
individuals and multiculturalism has no effect on an individuals rational
self-interest and fulfilment
HUMAN NATURE
Human imperfection
They agree They disagree
Pessimistic (mostly) Not all conservatives see these traits as imperfect
Because of our human Traditional and neo-conservatives
nature we should stray - These traits are innate so we are intrinsically imperfect
from ideology and stick to - We can mitigate and adapt to these qualities with capitalism- but they
tradition, pragmatism and aren’t good
empiricism- we are too - Trying to exist in Hobbes’ ‘state of nature’ would make us revert back
aggressive, selfish and to a ‘war of every man against every man’- we need order from
competitive for fraternity or capitalism to combat this
equality
Neo-liberals
We need capitalism - These traits are good- we need capitalism to preserve them
because of our human - Atomistic individualism- require these qualities for self-reliance
nature - Ayn Rand- altruism creates an artificial sense of obligation and doesn’t
align with rational self interest- selfishness is not imperfect
- Nozick- these qualities enhance self ownership (John Locke-
autonomy over labour, talents, bodies etc) and deter us from an
organic, dependent society BUT he lies in the middle- preservation of
life liberty and prosperity leaves potential for theft and violence which
humans are more than capable of- not all of our nature is good
