POLS1301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Aust, System On A Chip, Neoliberalism
Lecture 4 - Conservatism
What is conservatism?
wants to conserve (as far as possible) the institutions, processes, traditions, and
customs that are currently in place
different in different parts of the world
Differences within conservatism
can ask:
what do they want to preserve?
why?
what are they protecting it from?
largely a matter temperament, a disposition to preserve tried-and-true ways of life
suspicious of theories/ideologies, think politics should be anchored in experience
rather than intellect
therefore the development of conservatism as an ideology is in ways unconservative
usually formulated in opposition to something - what is sees as the issue of the day
has been opposed in the past to lib, soc lib, etc
conservatism is present in every major political party
Aust Labor Party:
soc dem
soc and neo lib
socialism
conservatism
nationalism
Lib Party
Neoliberal
conservatism
Soc lib
Nationalism
Greens:
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environmentalism
soc lib
soc dem
conservatism
National Party:
conservatism
Liberalism
Nationalism
emerged as a response to massive change after move away from feudalism during
the Enlightenment
Modern Western Enlightenment thought:
Reason
progress
Political equality
universalism
Conservatism as a response + reaction
irrationality / imperfectibility
Tradition
accumulated wisdom > dogma, irrationality
natural hierarchy
dispute modern claim that everyone is rational and equal
argue that ppl have different roles and abilities - born with different capacities
society should reflect this diversity
context specific
Key Ideas
Irrationality / Imperfectibility
Critique of reason
idea that humans are perfectible is utopian - humans are limited, dependent, and
fallible
reason is only part of how we know the world
experience is equally important as a source of understanding/knowledge
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
What is conservatism? wants to conserve (as far as possible) the institutions, processes, traditions, and customs that are currently in place different in different parts of the world. Aust labor party: soc dem soc and neo lib socialism conservatism nationalism. Nationalism emerged as a response to massive change after move away from feudalism during the enlightenment. Conservatism as a response + reaction irrationality / imperfectibility. Tradition accumulated wisdom > dogma, irrationality natural hierarchy dispute modern claim that everyone is rational and equal argue that ppl have different roles and abilities - born with different capacities society should reflect this (cid:1684)diversity(cid:1685) context specific. Traditions stabilise and unite + anchor human societies they have been developed over time and represent the wisdom of our forebears. Respect for past and people that have come before us traditions have been endorsed by a kind of natural selection and have survived because they work. Traditions as accumulated wisdom, not dogma/ignorance reject radical destruction/disposal of traditions.
