What are the core ideas of conservatism, and how do its traditional and New Right strands differ?
Conservatism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of conservatism (tradition, pragmatism, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and property), the differences between traditional conservatism and the New Right (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism), and the conservative view of the state, society and the economy.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to conservatism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of tradition, pragmatism, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and property, the differences between traditional conservatism and the New Right, and the conservative view of the state, society and the economy.
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What this dot point is asking
You need to explain the core principles of conservatism (tradition, pragmatism, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and property), the differences between traditional conservatism and the New Right (neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism), and the conservative view of the state, society and economy. The CCEA A2 2 Political Ideas option rewards a clear grasp of conservative scepticism and the New Right divide, with balanced evaluation.
The core principles of conservatism
Its core principles are:
- Tradition. Established institutions and customs embody the accumulated wisdom of generations and provide stability and identity; they should be preserved and changed only cautiously.
- Pragmatism. A preference for the practical over the theoretical, judging policies by experience and consequences, not ideology; the maxim is "change in order to conserve".
- Human imperfection. Human nature is flawed (morally, intellectually and psychologically), so people need order, security and authority rather than utopian schemes.
- Organic society. Society is a living organism, greater than its parts, held together by tradition, duty and belonging, not a mere aggregate of individuals.
- Hierarchy and authority. Hierarchy is natural and necessary; authority flows from above, but the privileged owe a duty (paternalism, noblesse oblige) to those below.
- Property. Property gives security, independence and a stake in society and embodies a link to the past.
Traditional conservatism
Traditional conservatism, drawing on Edmund Burke, stresses organicism, paternalism and pragmatism. It accepts a paternal, pragmatic state that may intervene to preserve social harmony and protect the vulnerable (the "one nation" tradition associated with Disraeli), and it is cautious about the free market's capacity to disrupt communities and traditions. Change should be gradual and rooted in experience.
The New Right
The New Right is in tension with traditional conservatism: its free-market wing prizes individualism and disruptive market forces that traditional conservatism distrusts, while its neo-conservative wing, with its emphasis on order, authority and tradition, is close to the traditional view.
The conservative view of state, society and economy
- The state. Traditional conservatives favour a pragmatic, paternal state; neo-liberals favour a minimal economic state; neo-conservatives favour a strong state on law, order and morality. So conservatism contains both small-state (economic) and strong-state (social) impulses.
- Society. An organic, hierarchical society bound by tradition and duty (traditional), in tension with the individualism of the neo-liberal New Right.
- The economy. Traditional conservatives are cautious about unfettered markets; neo-liberals champion the free market, low taxes and privatisation.
Examples in context
A model A2 paragraph might read: "Whether the New Right broke with traditional conservatism depends on which half of it you examine. Its neo-liberal economics marks a genuine rupture: in embracing the free market, individualism and a rolled-back state, it imported the assumptions of classical liberalism and abandoned traditional conservatism's organic caution about the disruptive power of markets on settled communities. Its neo-conservative social agenda, by contrast, is largely continuous with the tradition: the stress on order, authority, the family, traditional morality and the nation echoes conservatism's long-standing scepticism about human nature and its faith in hierarchy and established values. The judgement, therefore, is that the New Right is best understood as a hybrid, radical and liberal in economics but conservative and authoritarian in society, so it both broke with and prolonged the older tradition." This handles the internal tension and reaches a verdict.
Try this
Q1. What does conservatism mean by "human imperfection"? [2 marks]
- Cue. A sceptical view of human nature as flawed and fallible, so people need order, security and authority rather than utopian schemes.
Q2. Explain the difference between neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism within the New Right. [6 marks]
- Cue. Neo-liberalism champions the free market, a minimal state and individualism; neo-conservatism stresses social order, authority, traditional values and a strong nation.
Q3. To what extent does the New Right represent a break with traditional conservatism? [24 marks]
- Cue. Weigh the neo-liberal embrace of the free market and individualism against the neo-conservative continuity of order, authority and tradition. Reach a substantiated judgement.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA A2 201912 marksExplain the core principles of conservatism.Show worked answer →
A 12-mark A2 2 explain question. Identify the core principles and explain
each.
Tradition and pragmatism. Conservatism values established institutions and
customs as accumulated wisdom, and prefers cautious, practical reform to
abstract theory.
Human imperfection. It takes a sceptical view of human nature as flawed,
fallible and dependent on order, security and authority.
Organic society, hierarchy and property. Society is a living organism in
which hierarchy is natural, and property gives security and a stake in
society. A top answer explains several principles.
CCEA A2 2022To what extent does the New Right represent a break with traditional conservatism? [24 marks]Show worked answer →
A 24-mark A2 2 evaluation question. Weigh continuity against the break.
A break. The neo-liberal wing of the New Right embraces the free market, a
rolled-back state and individualism, which sits uneasily with traditional
conservatism's caution, organicism and acceptance of a paternal state.
Continuity. The neo-conservative wing stresses order, authority,
traditional values and the nation, which is close to traditional
conservatism, and both defend property and oppose socialism.
A strong answer judges that the New Right blends a radical free-market
liberalism with traditional conservative social values, so it is partly a
break and partly continuous, then reaches a verdict.
Related dot points
- Liberalism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of liberalism (the individual, freedom, reason, justice, toleration and the liberal state), the differences between classical and modern liberalism, and the liberal view of the state, society and the economy.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to liberalism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of the individual, freedom, reason, justice, toleration and the liberal state, the differences between classical and modern liberalism, and the liberal view of the state, society and the economy.
- Socialism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core principles of socialism (community and cooperation, equality, social class, common ownership and collectivism), the differences between revolutionary socialism (Marxism), social democracy and the Third Way, and the socialist view of the state, society and the economy.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to socialism as a political ideology. Covers the core principles of community and cooperation, equality, social class, common ownership and collectivism, the differences between revolutionary socialism, social democracy and the Third Way, and the socialist view of the state, society and the economy.
- Nationalism (Political Ideas, Option B): the core ideas of nationalism (the nation, self-determination, national identity and patriotism), the main types (liberal, conservative, expansionist and anti-colonial nationalism), civic and ethnic conceptions of the nation, and the debate over nationalism's value.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to nationalism as a political ideology. Covers the core ideas of the nation, self-determination, national identity and patriotism, the main types of liberal, conservative, expansionist and anti-colonial nationalism, the civic and ethnic conceptions of the nation, and the debate over its value.
- Elitism as a theory of power (Political Power, Option A): the elitist account of power concentrated in a ruling minority, classical elitism (Mosca, Pareto, Michels) and the iron law of oligarchy, the power-elite thesis, democratic elitism, and the main criticisms of elite theory.
A CCEA A2 2 guide to elitism as a theory of power. Covers classical elitism (Mosca, Pareto and Michels and the iron law of oligarchy), the power-elite thesis, democratic elitism, and the main criticisms of the claim that power is always concentrated in a ruling minority.
- Political parties in the UK: the functions parties perform, the ideas and internal divisions of the Conservative and Labour parties, the role of minor and third parties, party funding and the debate over reform, and the health of the UK party system.
A CCEA AS 2 guide to UK political parties. Covers the functions parties perform, the ideas and divisions of the Conservative and Labour parties, the role of minor and third parties, party funding and the reform debate, and whether the UK party system is healthy.
Sources & how we know this
- CCEA GCE Government and Politics specification — CCEA (2016)
- Government and Politics A2 2 Option B: Political Ideas support — CCEA (2019)