To What Extent Do Conservatives Agree on the Role of the State?

Overview of Conservatism

• Conservatism is seen more as a set of beliefs about societal progression than a coherent ideology.
• Key conservative thinkers differ in opinions about the role of the state based on their views of human nature.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Views

• Thomas Hobbes and Edmund Burke:
  • View the state as necessary for ensuring order and stability.
  • Believe human nature is inherently immoral, influenced by Christian original sin.
  • Hobbes emphasized a powerful state to prevent chaotic human impulses.
• Ayn Rand and Richard Nozick:
  • Argue for a minimal state involvement.
  • See humans as rational and selfish, which is not immoral but a path to self-fulfillment.
  • Support negative liberty and resist state attempts to promote positive liberty.

Human Nature and State Role

• Hobbes and Burke:
  • Human nature requires a strong state to avoid chaos and ensure security.
  • Hobbes' book Leviathan advocates for an all-powerful state.
• Rand and Nozick:
  • Believe in an egotistical, objectivist view of human nature.
  • Advocate for a "night watchman" state that intervenes only when necessary.

Economic Perspectives

• General agreement on a free market and laissez-faire approach, but with variations:
  • Rand and Nozick:
    • Support an almost entirely free market with minimal government intervention.
    • Market seen as a means for individuals to pursue happiness.
  • Burke:
    • Supported laissez-faire capitalism but also state enforcement of market contracts.
  • Oakeshott and Hobbes:
    • More skeptical about a truly free market without state moderation.
    • Concern about monopolies and exploitation necessitating some regulation.

Conservative Political Party Approaches

• One Nation Conservatives:
  • Believe in proactive government involvement in social welfare.
  • Support social reforms to aid the less privileged, inspired by noblesse oblige.
  • Align with Burke's and Hobbes' views on the role of the elite.
• New Right:
  • Favor limited state interference in the economy, promoting privatization.
  • Influenced by thinkers like Rand and Nozick, though not entirely laissez-faire.
  • Socially conservative, e.g., Thatcher's Section 28.

Conclusion

• Conservative thinkers differ significantly on the state's role due to differing views on human nature.
• Political parties influenced by these thinkers show less disagreement, especially in social conservatism.
• Consensus exists on the state's duty to maintain order and security as a prerequisite for liberty.

Authored by Jonathan Semugooma, Holyport College