CONSERVATISM POS223 Political Ideas POS223 Political Ideas

Background to conservatism Conservatism as a political and social philosophy promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of the culture and civilization. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others, called reactionaries, oppose modernism and seek a return to "the way things were". The first established use of the term in a political context originated with François-René de Chateaubriand in 1818, during the period of Bourbon Restoration that sought to roll back the policies of the French Revolution. The term, historically associated with right-wing politics, has since been used to describe a wide range of views. There is no single set of policies that are universally regarded as conservative, because the meaning of conservatism depends on what is considered traditional in a given place and time.

Background Cont. Thus conservatives from different parts of the world—each upholding their respective traditions—may disagree on a wide range of issues. Edmund Burke, an 18th-century politician who opposed the French Revolution but supported the American Revolution, is credited as one of the main theorists of conservatism in Great Britain in the 1790s. According to Quintin Hogg, the chairman of the British Conservative Party in 1959, "Conservatism is not so much a philosophy as an attitude, a constant force, performing a timeless function in the development of a free society, and corresponding to a deep and permanent requirement of human nature itself."

Characteristics of Conservatism. 1.Conservatives reject the optimistic view that human beings can be morally improved through political and social change. 2.Conservatives tend to assume that human beings are driven by their passions and desires—and are therefore naturally prone to selfishness, anarchy, irrationality, and violence. 3.Conservatism is as much a matter of temperament as of doctrine. It may sometimes even accompany left-wing politics or economics—as it did, for example, in the late 1980s, when hard-line communists in the Soviet Union were often referred to as “conservatives. 4.Conservatives have an aversion to abstract argument and theorizing. Attempts by philosophers and revolutionaries to plan society in advance, using political principles purportedly derived from reason alone, are misguided and likely to end in disaster, conservatives say.

Characteristics of Conservatism. Cont. 5. In opposition to the “rationalist blueprints” of liberals and radicals, conservatives often insist that societies are so complex that there is no reliable and predictable connection between what governments try to do and what actually happens. It is therefore futile and dangerous, they believe, for governments to interfere with social or economic realities—as happens, for example, in government attempts to control wages, prices, or rents (see incomes policy). 6. The claim that society is too complex to be improved through social engineering naturally raises the question, “What kind of understanding of society is possible?” The most common conservative answer emphasizes the idea of tradition. People are what they are because they have inherited the skills, manners, morality, and other cultural resources of their ancestors. 7. Conservatism has often been associated with traditional and established forms of religion. After 1789 the appeal of religion redoubled, in part because of a craving for security in an age of chaos. The Roman Catholic Church, because of its roots in the Middle Ages, has appealed to more conservatives than has any other religion. Although he was not a Catholic, Burke praised Catholicism as “the most effectual barrier” against radicalism.

Forms of Conservatism Forms of conservatism 1 Liberal conservatism 2 Conservative liberalism 3 Libertarian conservatism 4 Fiscal conservatism 5 National and traditional conservatism 6 Cultural and social conservatism 7 Religious conservatism 8 Progressive conservatism

Conservatism Ideology The ideology of conservatism is in opposition to the liberal ideology. It is a political ideology that opposes radical change. It emphasizes the existing institutions. In the 1970s’ it was practiced in Germany, Canada, Denmark, and the UK.

Basic Tenets of Conservatism Tradition: The central theme of conservative ideology is its defense of tradition, its desire to maintain established customs and institutions. Religion: Related to the above is the conservative postulation that man is basically a religious animal and religion is the foundation of civil society. A divine sanction infuses the legitimate existing social order.

Basic Tenets of Conservatism Cont. Authority: Conservatism emphasizes the importance of authority. It argues that authority, like society, is natural. It holds that authority is rooted in the nature of society and accompanying social institutions. It places special emphasis on leadership and discipline. Property: Property ownership gives people security and some kind of independence from government, and it encourages them to obey state laws and have respect for other people’s property.

Basic Tenets of Conservatism Cont. Human Imperfection: They maintained that man is by nature morally weak and therefore must be compelled to obey existing institutions and societal laws and regulations. Organization: They see the society as a complex and bigger structure that must be obeyed by the individuals. The rules and regulations of the whole (the larger society) must supersede the part.

Assignment Go Study and write extensively on conservatism with at least five advantages and disadvantages each. 5 Pages