Lesson 1: What is conservatism and what is the principle of ‘change to conserve’?

The term ‘conservative’ was first used in the early nineteenth century to describe those who were
opposed to the principles and spirit of the French Revolution.

Those who resist all change and want to ‘turn back the clock’ are known as reactionaries rather than
conservatives. Conservates are not opposed to change, as they think it is inevitable.

For conservatives, change is a matter of ‘changing to conserve’. This means making sure that change
is appropriate and keeps what has worked in the past. Conservatives believe that some change is the
only way to conserve that which is worth keeping, as key thinker Edmund Burke said. Essentially,
conservatives are saying that in order to preserve what is good about society, it needs to be updated
and maintained. It is therefore useful to see conservatism as a ‘doctrine of maintenance’.

Conservatives support tradition, and their beliefs about human nature are based on human
imperfection. It is mainly divided between traditional conservatism and the ‘New Right’.

Why did conservatism emerge?

- What conservatism was initially a reaction to: a reaction to the politics of the Enlightenment.
- The relevance of the French revolution: seemed to vindicate the optimistic spirit of the
Enlightenment.
- Events in France now made it possible to assail liberal-Enlightenment principles without
seeming reactionary.

Conservatism, as the name implies, is defined by the urge to conserve--to avoid or minimise change.
Traditional kinds of conservatism had this as their major goal, but this was challenged in the 1970s
and 1980s with the rise of New Right ideology.

Pragmatism

Pragmatism, a term often associated with conservative intellectuals like Michael Oakeshott and
Edmund Burke, describes a flexible, practical approach to political decision-making, where choices
are made based on what works in the given circumstance. This will be based on a variety of factors,
including prior encounters. This is in many ways the reverse of ideology or principle, where choices
would be made in accordance with convictions or specific beliefs. Conservatives reject the notion
that people can understand how the world functions; hence they prioritise practical solutions over
attempts to "shape" society through irrational ideologies.

Traditional and One Nation conservatism are most strongly associated with pragmatism. Burke
proposed that pragmatism is the proper response to inevitable societal change; cautious pragmatism
will aid in managing changes without revolution or anarchy. This causes him to believe that 'changing
in order to conserve' is required. One Nation conservatives responded to the effects of early
industrialisation by supporting government initiatives to assist the less fortunate, and in the 1950s
and 1960s campaigned for some state engagement in the economy to create financing for welfare
schemes. The New Right, on the other hand, can be said to have eschewed pragmatism in favour of
principle--that is, a strongly principled conviction in the free market's ability to provide all services.

Tradition

For numerous reasons, conservatives defend traditions, which can be characterised as established
customs and institutions. Many conservatives believe that traditional values and institutions are
divinely ordained and thus unquestionable. Burke argued that society was formed by the 'law of our
Creator' and hence should not be interfered with. Although it has been difficult to preserve this
belief in current times, many individuals still believe it.

Without theological justification, most conservatives embrace tradition. Burke defined society as a
collaboration between "those who are living, those who are dead, and those yet to be born." This
suggests that the collected wisdom of the past should be honoured and conserved, because if
something has persisted for many years, it must have value. Conservatives in the United Kingdom, for
example, regard the monarchy as a repository of accumulated wisdom and a focal point for national
devotion and respect.

Conservatives feel that tradition also provides a sense of belonging and identity. Anything from red
phone boxes and buses to the judiciary dressed in a 'costume' generates a sense of confidence and
certainty in people, making them feel 'part' of society, and hence it is valuable.

Human Imperfection

Conservatism has been described as 'the philosophy of human imperfection' (O'Sullivan 1976). This is
because, unlike other philosophies, conservatives do not believe in the goodness of human nature.
Because they perceive humans to be flawed, they require control and organisation. They are flawed
in three major ways.

1. Psychologically: Conservatives believe that people are creatures of habit who value stability,
safety, and comfort. In an unsettling and uncertain world, they require structure to establish
security. Because it offers options and uncertainty, liberty is viewed negatively by
conservatives. They agree with Thomas Hobbes, a philosopher who believed that any
government, even an authoritarian one, was preferable to the alternative of chaos and was
willing to trade freedom for security.
2. Morally: Conservatives believe that criminal behaviour is caused by the flawed individual, not
society. They are gloomy about human nature. Some conservatives attribute this to the
concept of "original sin." All conservatives think that if people are regulated and controlled
away from their natural and selfish desires, they can be kept from engaging in antisocial
behaviours. The only way to do this is by effective and strong law and order, reinforced by
strong deterrents. For example, law and order were fundamental to Margaret Thatcher's
conservative governments.
3. Intellectually: Conservatives believe that humans are not bright or reasonable, and that the
world is too complex for them to comprehend. Oakeshott felt that the world was 'boundless
and bottomless,' and so beyond human comprehension. As a result, they build their ideas on
a love of certainty, tradition, and history, and they strive to be as realistic as possible. They
dislike abstract concepts like 'rights' and 'social justice' because they imply that society must
be altered or redesigned.

Despite this, some aspects of New Right thought can be argued to have a more positive view of
human nature--for example, confidence in the free market must afford people a large level of
economic freedom. However, this is accompanied by a heavy focus on moral authority as well as
law and order.