Conservative Thinkers & Ideas PDF

**Core Conservative Thinkers and Their Ideas** 1. **What was Thomas Hobbes\' view of human nature?** - Humans are naturally selfish, competitive, and prone to conflict, requiring a strong authority to maintain order. 2. **What is Hobbes\' \'state of nature\'?** - A hypothet...

**Core Conservative Thinkers and Their Ideas** 1. **What was Thomas Hobbes\' view of human nature?** - Humans are naturally selfish, competitive, and prone to conflict, requiring a strong authority to maintain order. 2. **What is Hobbes\' \'state of nature\'?** - A hypothetical state where life without authority would be \"nasty, brutish, and short.\" 3. **What did Hobbes argue was the purpose of the state?** - To impose order and prevent chaos through a social contract where individuals surrender some freedom for security. 4. **What is Edmund Burke's key contribution to conservatism?** - Burke emphasized tradition, gradual change, and respect for established institutions as vital for social stability. 5. **How did Burke view society?** - As an organic entity that evolves over time, binding generations through tradition and shared values. 6. **Why did Burke reject the French Revolution?** - He opposed its radical rejection of tradition and the violent pursuit of abstract principles like equality. 7. **What is Michael Oakeshott's main idea about politics?** - Oakeshott believed politics should focus on pragmatic governance, preferring familiarity and tradition over idealistic schemes. 8. **What does Oakeshott mean by \'rationalism in politics\'?** - He critiqued attempts to design society through abstract theories, arguing that practical knowledge is more important. 9. **What is Ayn Rand's central belief in her philosophy of objectivism?** - Rand emphasized rational self-interest, individual freedom, and a limited state to protect property rights and personal liberty. 10. **What was Rand's view on welfare and state intervention?** - She opposed welfare and state intervention, arguing they undermine individual responsibility and freedom. 11. **What is Robert Nozick's view on the role of the state?** - Nozick advocated for a minimal state focused solely on protecting individual rights, such as property and personal safety. 12. **Why did Nozick reject redistributive taxation?** - He argued it violates individual liberty by forcing individuals to give up earnings that they are entitled to. 13. **What does Nozick's 'entitlement theory' of justice argue?** - Justice arises when individuals acquire property through fair means and voluntary exchange. 14. **How does Burke's concept of change differ from radical ideologies?** - Burke supported gradual, evolutionary change rather than revolutionary upheaval. 15. **What is Hobbes\' idea of the 'Leviathan'?** - A powerful state or sovereign authority is necessary to prevent anarchy and ensure peace. 16. **How does Oakeshott's view of human nature align with conservatism?** - He saw humans as fallible and unpredictable, requiring cautious governance and stability. 17. **What did Rand believe about capitalism?** - Rand saw capitalism as the only moral system because it respects individual freedom and rewards effort and talent. 18. **Why is Nozick associated with libertarian conservatism?** - He stressed the importance of personal liberty, a free market, and minimal state involvement in people\'s lives. 19. **How does Burke's idea of 'little platoons' reflect conservatism?** - It highlights the importance of local communities and institutions in maintaining social stability and nurturing values. 20. **What is the common thread in the views of Hobbes, Burke, and Oakeshott?** - All stress the importance of authority, tradition, and pragmatism in maintaining societal order.