© Copyright Get Revising 2020 all rights reserved. This idea is called ‘organicism’. Conservatives defend traditions, which can be defined as established customs and institutions, for various reasons. Conservatism can be seen as ‘the philosophy of human imperfection’ (O’Sullivan 1976). They think that people only exist as part of their social groupings and respond to all of them. American and French Revolutions, Michael Oakeshott – importance of tradition/criticisms of rationalism, This means that the accumulated wisdom of the past should be respected and preserved, as if something has persisted over many years then it must have value. in their study of the following thinkers students should focus on the For example Stalin has been called a conservative communist, Tony Blair was seen as conservative in the Labour Party. Should the UK Adopt a Codified Constitution? They way in which this position is argued makes conservatism what it is. Conservatism to the New Right. Most conservatives support tradition without the religious justification. 3.3.1.2 Conservatism . Another debate is that conservatives themselves may actually dislike being referred to as an ‘ideology’, as ideologies have often been criticised within conservatism as being abstract systems of thought which have no practical purpose. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. economy, core conservative ideas and values concerning government, the free Conservatives see society as a natural thing that humans are part of and cannot be separated from. on human nature, the state, society and the economy: Thomas Hobbes – concept of human nature/laws of nature, power of the Conservatives therefore see freedom differently from, for example, liberals. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Conservatism Past Papers/Mark scheme answers (15 and 45), Revision Notes for A2 Government and Politics - Political Ideologies (Unit 3B), Conservatism: Adam Smith and Edmund Burke, UK Political Parties Revision notes (complete and to specification), Unit 4B - Feminism - Political Ideologies, See all Government & Politics resources », Anybody doing/did A2 Political Ideologies? Associated with conservative thinkers such as Edmund Burke and Michael Oakeshott, pragmatism refers to an adaptable, practical response to political decision-making- decisions are made on the basis of what works in that particular situation. Please enable JavaScript, AQA is not responsible for the content of external sites. Conservatism is partly a belief in pragmatism, which means not changing things unless there is a very good reason to do so. Organicism does not view society as a collection of separate individuals. This leads to his view that it is necessary to ‘change in order to conserve’. inequalities of wealth resulting from freely exchanged contracts. Burke suggested that pragmatism is the appropriate response to natural change in society- cautious pragmatism will help manage changes without revolution or chaos. It has been suggested that conservatism is better characterised by what it is against (change) rather than what it favours. », AQA Unit 3 Political Ideologies + Unit 4 Ideologies in Action (political issues) », A2 government and politics Edexcel Political ideolgies », AQA A2 Government and Politics GOV3A/B, GOV4A/B, 11,14th Jun 2018 [Exam discussion] », Edexcel Government & Politics - A2 - 3B ». However, this is allied with a strong emphasis on moral authority and law and order. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. Conservatism, as the name suggests, is characterised by the desire to conserve- to prevent or minimise change. Traditional Conservatives believe in reform where necessary. Please either accept the cookies, or, 3.2 Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics, government, the free market, the individual, authority, tradition, private property human nature, the state, society and the Conservatives are critical of the idea that humans can understand how … Conservatism can be used describe somebody’s personality traits as being conservative, but you can have conservative elements of political ideologies or parties. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. They see the family for example, not as a choice of liberal design, but, as a necessity that people have to have to survive and prosper. sovereign/the individual and self protection, Edmund Burke – Anti-Jacobinism/Whig principles, Burke’s reaction to the This is in many ways the opposite to principle, or ideology, which is where decisions would be made based on convictions or particular beliefs. However, there is more to conservatism than simply resisting change. Check out Adapt — the A-level & GCSE revision timetable app. Burke described society as a partnership between ‘those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are yet to be born’. If you are dealing with a living organism, then it can’t be changed by humans and any attempt to do so is dangerous. They have a respect for law and order and a conviction that the government should not interfere too much in the way people run their lives. If you are dealing with a machine, then you can attempt to modify and change it by human design and ingenuity. There has been some debate over the nature of conservatism, and whether it is accurately classified as an ideology at all. They think that a person is free when they willingly accept the rights and responsibilities that a society places on them. Many conservatives believe that traditional values and institutions are God-given and therefore beyond question. Home > A Level and IB > Government & Politics > A2 Politics Conservatism Notes A2 Politics Conservatism Notes These are a set of notes on all the key concepts and content summary within the AQA A2 Unit 3B Ideologies specification on Conservatism. ‘Politics of Faith’ vs ‘Politics of Scepticism’, Ayn Rand – opposition to collectivism and statism, rational and ethical They are imperfect in three main ways. Conservatives also believe that tradition gives a sense of belonging and identity. Although this idea has been difficult to maintain in modern times many people still believe this. Anything from red phone boxes and buses, to the judiciary wearing a ‘costume’, creates a sense of surety and certainty amongst people, making them feel ‘part’ of society, so is valuable for this reason. 806 8067 22 aspects indicated after each thinker's name and relate this to conservative thinking Start studying A Level Politics - Conservatism. Level: A-level Subject: Politics First Teaching: September 2017 First Exam: June 2018 Build your students' knowledge of the ideas, tensions and key thinkers within the core ideologies of conservatism, liberalism and socialism, plus the additional ideologies of feminism and anarchism. © AQA 2020, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The New Right, on the other hand, can be argued to have rejected pragmatism in favour of principle- namely, the strongly principled belief in the ability of the free market to deliver all goods and services. However we need to look at it as a political tradition. Focus. Conservatives are critical of the idea that humans can understand how the world works, so they favour a more practical response to situations rather than attempting to ‘shape’ society through unfounded ideological beliefs. One Nation conservatives responded to the effects of early industrialisation by supporting government measures to help the less well-off, and in the 1950s and 60s advocated some state intervention in the economy in order to generate funding for welfare programmes. These are a set of notes on all the key concepts and content summary within the AQA A2 Unit 3B Ideologies specification on Conservatism. egoism/individual rights. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Conservatives also see society as having evolved and formed naturally out of necessity. This is in many ways the opposite to principle, or ideology, which is where decisions would be made based on convictions or particular beliefs. They see humans as imperfect and therefore they need control and organisation. Despite this, some aspect of New Right thinking can be argued to have a more positive view of human nature- for example, the belief in the free market must allow people a great deal of freedom in the economic sphere. This is because, unlike other ideologies, conservatives do not see human nature as good.