Conservatism
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Emphasis on continuity, respect for what is customary, suspicion of change (especially on a large scale), revolutionary change is systematic and violent.
Traditionalism
Skepticism about political knowledge. Some individuals can figure out how society and the state works, and use that knowledge to improve things. Wisdom from inherited institutions is better than presupposed knowledge.
Traditionalism
Organic conception of society and the state. Societies are living things, formed by social institutions.
Traditionalism
Individuals are not independent and autonomous. We can’t resist injustice. We are part of something living, larger, and entitled to respect.
Traditionalism
For rational justification of transparency, against superstition and tradition.
Liberals
Suspicious of reason, favor sentiment over scrutiny. We are emotional creatures, and we shouldn’t investigate too deeply. Don’t question.
Conservatives
Human beings are flawed. Against the idea of perfectibility of man.
Classical conservatives
There is a natural hierarchy. Against equality in a social/political sense because the natural hierarchy is justifiable and inevitable.
Classical conservatives
For small government, free market capitalism, the need for a strong military, and state imposition.
Contemporary conservatives
Unthinking man’s thinking man.
Edmund Burke
Was in favour of conciliation with the Americans instead of stubborn resistance, war and separation. Wanted to restores the colonies’ ancient liberties.
Edmund Burke
Most famous for his criticism of the French Revolution 1789 as a reckless attempt at radical social transformation.
Edmund Burke
He wanted to stop “the rock” from spreading.
Edmund Burke
Burke predicted what would happen when the rule of law broke down as a result of the revolution:
The church would be destroyed, the monarch would be executed, the Terror, order would be restored by a dictator, lawlessness and the desire for revenge
Burke was against the revolutionaries ideological views of:
Human nature, society, freedom, and government
Burke believed the humans are: instead of of rational self interested calculators of happiness.
Creatures of habit, custom, and tradition
True or false: Burke believed humans were perfectible but not changeable.
False. He believed we were neither. Social engineering is a liberal, radical, revolutionary project.
He referred to perfectibility by changing institutions as the “crooked timber of humanity”.
Kant
True or false: Burke emphasized the idea of the atomistic individual.
False. Burke was against this idea, and emphasized the isolation of individuals.
According to the conception of society, individuals are not free, independent, and autonomous, rather dependent on a web of relationships or the:
Organic, social fabric
He referred to the liberal legalistic business like the social contract as “harmful social fiction”
Burke
Society is not created by our: therefore, we should adapt to society, society shouldn’t adapt to us.
Consent
A sacred inter-generational covenant, otherwise known as a: can’t be met within a single generation. We owe to those before us, now, and those to come.
Partnership in all virtue
True or false: Burke thought that freedom was always good.
False. He argued that it depends on how we use it, based on what people are likely to do with it when they get it.