Classical Conservatism

absolute monarch

form of monarchy where the king has complete control and rules in his own right or power

aristocracy

highest class in certain societies, usually holding hereditary titles or offices

form of government where power is held by the nobility

authoritarian

a government where an elite group of people may not rule in the favour of the people.

these systems can take the form of oligarchies, military dictatorships, ideological one-party states, and monarchies

bureaucracy

government where most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than elected representatives

ex. administrative system used by corporations and public institutions

capitalism

an economic system based on free markets, fair competition, wise consumers, and profit-motivated producers; a minimum of government involvement is favoured

censorship

the act of restricting freedom of expression or freedom of access to ideas or works, usually by governments, and usually to protect the perceived common good; may be related to speech, writings, works of art, religious practices, or military matters

class system

the division of a society into different classes of people, usually based on income or wealth. usually very rigid and allowed for little mobility

ex. clergy, nobility, peasants

ex. upper, middle, lower

classical conservatism

an ideology that says government should represent the legacy of the past as well as the well-being of the present, and that society should be structured in a hierarchical fashion, that government should be chosen by a limited electorate, that leaders should be humanitarian, and that the stability of society is all important

conservatism

cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values.

dictatorship

autocratic form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, who hold governmental powers with few to no limitations

disparity

a difference in level or treatment, especially one that is seen as unfair.

divine right of kings

a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament

economic freedom

people are able to engage in trade with anyone. people can choose to buy and sell their own products and labour.

elitism

the belief that some things are only for a few people who have special qualities or abilities

ex. only the educated should participate in government (Edmund Burke)

ex. only property owners have a real stake in society (Edmund Burke)

free market

a market that operates with limited government intervention. questions regarding production and marketing of goods and services are decided through the free interaction of producers and consumers

fundamentalism

a form of religion, especially Islam or Protestant Christianity, that upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture.

A type of militantly conservative religious movement characterized by the advocacy of strict conformity to sacred texts

income disparity

difference in earnings between the rich and the poor

individualism

a current of thinking that values the freedom and worth of the individual, sometimes over the security and harmony of the group

industrialization

the stage of economic development during which the application of technology results in mass production and mass consumption within a country. This is accompanied by urbanization and changes in national living standards.

institution

a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose.

ex. bank = financial institution

liberalism

a collection of ideologies all committed to the principle of the dignity and freedom of the individual as the foundation for society. has faith in human progress and tends to favour decentralized power, both in political and economic affairs, and respect for the sovereignty of the reasoning individual.

libertarianism

a political philosophy that advocates only minimal state intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens.

most extreme view of liberalism

luddism

a protest movement of the early 1800s against industrialization and mechanization. Protesters broke into factories and destroyed machines.

monarchy

form of government in which a person is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority may vary from restricted and largely symbolic, to fully autocratic, and can span across executive, legislative, and judicial domains

monopoly

the exclusive ownership or control of trade in a particular good or service

ex. when one company owns all production in one industry

natural rights

rights that are not dependent on the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and are therefore universal and inalienable

nouveau riche

from French, meaning “newly wealthy”; factory owners, bankers, retailers, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals and entrepreneurs who gained their wealth during the Industrial Revolution. The term also generally refers to those people who are relatively new to wealth.

oligarchy

a form of government in which political power rests with a small elite segment of society. often consists of politically powerful families who pass on their influence to their children.

orthodoxy

following the most basic and original form of scripture/religion

The adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. In the Christian sense the term means “conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early Church”

plutocracy

society that is ruled or controlled by the wealthy

not rooted in any established political philosophy

private property

something that is owned by an individual, including real estate, other forms of physical possessions, and intellectual property. The right to this is a central principle of liberalism and is seen as a natural extension of the concept of the worth of each individual.

privatization

the transfer of a business, industry, or service from public to private ownership and control.

reactionary

tending to oppose change. A reactionary change in a political regime often idealizes the past and accepts economic inequality.

republican

doesn’t believe in any type of monarchy

in terms of the USA: is conservative

republic: a form of government where governing authority is vested in the hands of the representatives of the citizens and not a ruling monarch. Generally, a president is the head of state and the head of government.

rule of law

everyone is subject to the law; that no one, no matter how important or powerful, is above the law

secularism

principle of separation of the state from religious institutions

seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion

self interest

one’s personal interest or advantage

social contract theory

an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection. These theories became popular in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries among theorists such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as a means of explaining the origin of government and the obligations of subjects.

theocracy

a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

A form of government in which god or a deity of some type is recognized as the supreme ruling authority, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries that manage the day to day affairs of the government

tory

slang term for conservatives/conservative party supporters

totalitarianism

a government system that seeks complete control over the public and private lives of its citizens

tradition

belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past

urbanization

an increase in the number of people residing in cities and an extension of urban boundaries to include areas that were previously rural

whig party

British conservative party that Edmund Burke was a part of

supported a constitutional monarchy rather than an absolute monarchy

wants to keep an elite party to maintain order

american revolution

the war of 1775–83 in which 13 British colonies in North America broke free from British rule and became the United States of America

supported by Edmund Burke because it created an effective government where the power was in the hands of educated people

edmund burke

• believed property was essential to human life

• social class is natural and seen as beneficial to everyone

• believed that government represented not only the will of the people presently living, but also the legacy of people who had gone before, and the inheritance of those yet to come.

• He did not think all individuals were equally capable of participation in the affairs of the country; therefore, uninformed people should not have a say in government.

• He believed that the “general will of the people” was an unrealistic, unnatural, and ultimately dangerous idea that would lead to rule by the mediocre, uneducated, and disinterested, eventually ending in chaos

• wrote Reflections on the Revolution in France, published in 1790, in which he argued against the liberal notions of equality and individual freedom.

• supported the Whig party whose origins lay in constitutional monarchism and support of the great aristocratic families.

english civil war

a catastrophic series of conflicts that took place in the middle of the 17th century. Fought between those loyal to the king, Charles I, and those loyal to Parliament, the wars divided the country at all levels of society.

french revolution

period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789, and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799

very messy and lead to the death of many

Edmund Burke disapproved of this, saw it as an example of what ideas of equality could do to society

glorious revolution

the series of events in 1688-89 which culminated in the exile of King James II and the accession to the throne of William and Mary. It has also been seen as a watershed in the development of the constitution and especially of the role of Parliament.

thomas hobbes

• developed some liberal thought: the right of the individual, natural equality of all men, legitimate political power must be representatives and based on the consent of the people, people can do whatever the law doesn’t explicitly forbid

• believed that an absolute monarchy was the best form of government

• He was witness to the English Civil War and was repulsed by the excesses of Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan dictatorship.

• He believed that human nature is characterized by fear, violence, and dangerous self-interest.

• He argued that people were more in need of security than freedom.

• wrote Leviathan, published in 1651, in which he advocated that everyone gives up their freedom to one person (a monarch or a dictator), who then ensures order and stability.

values of classical conservatism

1. society is an organic whole with a hierarchy that must be followed. not everyone has the same ability, and therefore those suited for leadership are at the top.

2. the government should be chosen by a limited electorate with special privileges

3. leaders should be humanitarian and prioritize the wellbeing of the people

4. stability of society is the most important and is preserved through laws, order, traditions, and customs that hold society together. individual freedoms should be given up to ensure collective security.

guiding principles of classical conservatism

S: stability

T: tradition

O: order