Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• The meaning of the key concepts and terminology:
• government
• the free market
• the individual
• authority
• tradition
• private property
• human nature
• the state
• society
• the economy
• traditional conservatism
• the New Right
• That conservatism is a political ideology that values stability, order, continuity and the preservation of established institutions.
• That conservatives are generally sceptical about rapid change and tend to prefer gradual, organic reform.
• That one of the central debates within conservatism is about whether it is best understood as a defence of tradition and authority, or as a more economically liberal ideology focused on markets and limited government.
• That conservatives place strong emphasis on authority, seeing it as necessary for maintaining order and preventing social breakdown.
• That tradition is highly valued because it provides continuity, wisdom and social cohesion.
• That conservatives often see society as organic, meaning it develops naturally over time and cannot easily be redesigned according to abstract theories.
• That conservatives tend to have a sceptical view of human nature, seeing human beings as imperfect, self-interested and in need of restraint.
• That conservative views of the individual are shaped by the belief that people are embedded in society and owe duties as well as enjoying rights.
• That conservatives value private property, seeing it as a source of security, responsibility and independence.
• That conservatives support the free market to different degrees, but there are important differences between traditional conservatives and the New Right.
• The defining features of traditional conservatism, including:
• respect for authority and hierarchy
• support for tradition and established institutions
• paternalism
• organic society
• pragmatic and cautious reform
• The defining features of the New Right, including:
• stronger support for free-market economics
• hostility to state intervention in the economy
• emphasis on individual responsibility
• a combination of neoliberal economic ideas and more authoritarian social ideas
• That conservatism contains tensions between support for authority and tradition on the one hand, and support for free markets and individualism on the other.
• The key ideas of Thomas Hobbes, including:
• his view of human nature
• the laws of nature
• the need for a powerful sovereign
• the relationship between the individual and self-protection
• the argument that order and security are essential because human beings are naturally driven by fear, competition and self-preservation
• The key ideas of Edmund Burke, including:
• Anti-Jacobinism
• Whig principles
• his reaction to the American Revolution
• his reaction to the French Revolution
• his defence of tradition, inherited institutions and gradual change rather than revolutionary upheaval
• The key ideas of Michael Oakeshott, including:
• the importance of tradition
• his criticisms of rationalism
• the distinction between 'Politics of Faith' and 'Politics of Scepticism'
• the argument that politics should be cautious and limited rather than driven by grand ideological schemes
• The key ideas of Ayn Rand, including:
• her opposition to collectivism and statism
• rational egoism
• ethical egoism
• individual rights
• her defence of laissez-faire capitalism and strong individualism
• The key ideas of Robert Nozick, including:
• the limited functions of the state
• the justification of inequalities of wealth arising from freely exchanged contracts
• the idea that redistributive taxation can violate individual rights
• That the named thinkers should be understood in relation to conservative thinking about:
• human nature
• the state
• society
• the economy

• Define and use accurately the key vocabulary of conservatism.
• Explain what conservatism is and identify its core values and assumptions.
• Analyse debates about the nature of conservatism, including whether it is mainly about preserving tradition or defending free-market individualism.
• Explain conservative views of human nature and show how these shape conservative attitudes towards authority, law and the state.
• Explain why conservatives value tradition, authority and private property.
• Compare traditional conservatism with the New Right in relation to:
• the role of the state
• the economy
• the free market
• the individual
• social order
• Explain the tension within conservatism between paternalistic traditionalism and free-market individualism.
• Apply the ideas of Hobbes, Burke, Oakeshott, Rand and Nozick to questions about human nature, authority, freedom and the economy.
• Explain Hobbes's justification for sovereign authority and link it to conservative concerns about order and security.
• Explain Burke's criticism of revolution and his defence of gradual change.
• Explain Oakeshott's criticism of rationalism and his preference for tradition and political caution.
• Explain Rand's defence of individual rights and capitalism.
• Explain Nozick's defence of the minimal state and his justification of unequal outcomes produced by voluntary exchange.
• Assess whether conservatism is primarily pragmatic rather than ideological.
• Evaluate whether conservatives value the individual less than liberals do.
• Assess whether the New Right should be seen as fully conservative or as partly distinct from traditional conservatism.
• Construct balanced arguments about disagreements within conservative thought.
• Use relevant thinkers and concepts to support arguments rather than relying on general description.
• Make reasoned judgements in essay-style responses on issues such as:
• Is conservatism mainly about tradition and authority?
• Is the New Right a departure from traditional conservatism?
• Do conservatives support freedom or order more strongly?
• Is inequality acceptable in conservative thought?
• Write clear analytical and evaluative responses that combine ideology, concepts and thinkers effectivel