| What is Conservatism? | -An Ideology that has been Evolving and quite Successful as a Result
-Opposes Change and Favours Protecting Traditions, but can accept Necessary Slow Changes
-Most, but not all, believe Humans are Imperfect and Vulnerable, and a Strong Government must be installed to Guide and Protect
-Simply Put, it is a Political and Social Philosophy that wants Preserving and not Changing |
| What is a Pragmatist? Link to Conservatism | -A Pragmatist wanting to Solve a Problem looks to Practicalities -what is the most Sensible and Workable way - instead of Fixed Ideas or Theories
-Conservatives Describe themselves as Non-Ideological - they don't believe in Absolutes (Fixed, Unchanging Principles) but rather adopt a 'What Works' Approach based on Circumstances and Experience (Using the Past to Dictate the Future) |
| Why does Pragmatism make Conservatism quite a Special Ideology? | -Pragmatism makes Conservatism hard to Pin Down in Simple Words, and may even suggest that Conservatism isn't an Ideology.
-This could reflect what Conservatives think of their thinking as just 'Common Sense'
-Critics may Accuse Conservatives as just Advocating Policies to get Public Support and not be Guided by Values or Principles
-Suggests also COnservatism is Flexible and can Vary its Values |
| What does Ideological mean? | -Relating to a Set of Political Ideas/Body of a Doctrine. Most Conservatives would call themselves Pragmatic and not Ideological |
| What does Pragmatism suggest about Politics? | -Politics should be based on Circumstances and Events rather than Ideological Objectives.
-Conservatives reject Abstract and Rigid Theories (eg those associated with Marxism) and see them as Dangerous as they are not Rooted in History and Tradition and may cause Instability and Chaos |
| What does Empiricism mean? | -A Rejection of Ideology - a Theory that suggests Knowledge comes from Tradition and Experience rather than from Ideas |
| Why would Empiricism lead to Conservatives having a Negative View of Human Nature? | -Empiricism warrants the Rejection of Ideology and therefore reject All Utopian Ideas due to them being a Rejection of Tradition, Knowledge and Learned Wisdom from the Past
-This helps why they see Humans as quite Negative Pests |
| Is Conservatism purely based on Pragmatism Thinking? | -No, of course not. While there are Claims from Conservatives that state it is a Tradition, not an Ideology, there are several Core Beliefs they believe in |
