Human Nature
This conservative thinker argued that humans are fallible and should rely on tradition rather than abstract reason.
Who is Edmund Burke?
Traditional conservatives support this type of state, favouring gradual adaptation over radical reform.
What is an evolutionary or reformist state?
Conservatives describe society as this, emphasizing interdependence and gradual evolution.
What is an organic society?
This strand of conservatism favours free markets and minimal state intervention.
What is neoliberal conservatism?
The New Right rejects this type of state associated with extensive welfare provision.
Welfare State
Conservatives believe humans are naturally cautious and resistant to this type of change.
What is rapid or revolutionary change?
The primary purpose of government, according to conservatives, is to maintain these two things.
What are order and security?
These institutions—family, church, and local community—are seen as essential for stability.
What are traditional institutions?
Conservatives defend this as a source of security, responsibility, and social stability.
What is private property?
This economic principle of the New Right advocates deregulation, privatisation, and low taxation.
Neoliberalism
This term describes the conservative view that society evolves like a living organism, not through mechanistic design.
What is the organic view of society?
Conservatives argue for this principle to prevent chaos and uphold social stability.
What is the rule of law?
Conservatives value this for social cohesion, making them sceptical of multiculturalism.
What is shared tradition or common culture?
One-nation conservatives justify this in the economy to prevent social unrest and maintain unity.
What is state intervention?
Neoliberals argue that this mechanism should allocate resources efficiently without state interference.
The free market
One-nation conservatives justify this policy as a paternalistic duty to maintain social harmony.
What is welfare provision?
This principle warns against top-down social engineering and advocates cautious, incremental change.
What is prudence?
Conservatives argue that this does not necessarily imply injustice, influencing their stance on redistribution.
What is inequality?
Neoliberals and paternalists differ on this issue, with the former opposing redistribution and the latter supporting limited welfare.
What is economic inequality?
Neoconservatives often link crime to this social phenomenon.
Moral decline or breakdown of traditional values
Conservatives stress limits to human reason, contrasting with this liberal thinker’s optimistic view of rationality.
Who is John Locke?
Libertarian conservatives prioritise this over authority, creating tension within conservatism.
What is individual liberty?
Conservatives balance respect for tradition with this, creating tension in debates on inheritance tax or affirmative action.
What is social mobility?
Conservatism struggles for coherence in economic policy due to tensions between these three priorities.
What are market freedom, tradition, and social stability?
This concept describes the New Right’s preference for decentralisation and reducing state bureaucracy.
Rolling back the state