Conservatism | Edexcel A-Level Politics (9PL0)
Conservatism
- 82 questions
- 6 subtopics
- Component 1: the three core ideologies, all compulsory
- Component 1
Covers the ideology of caution and continuity: human imperfection, tradition and the organic society, the paternalism of the one-nation tradition, the free-market turn of the New Right, and the thinkers behind each..
It covers pragmatism, tradition and human imperfection, the organic society, hierarchy and paternalism, the New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism, differing views and tensions within conservatism, hobbes, Burke and Oakeshott and rand, Nozick and the New Right.
Sample questions from Conservatism
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Pragmatism, tradition and human imperfection
How do traditional conservatives link pragmatism to their approach to politics?
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They reject ideological blueprints, preferring practical experience over theoretical principles. -
Pragmatism, tradition and human imperfection
How does tradition enhance human security according to conservatives?
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By providing individuals with a sense of belonging and rootedness in familiar customs and institutions. -
The organic society, hierarchy and paternalism
Why do conservatives who hold an organic view of society see hierarchy as functional rather than oppressive?
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Because in an organism, different parts must perform specialised functions at varying levels for the whole to work effectively; similarly, social hierarchy allows different groups to fulfil distinct roles that contribute to the health and stability of society as a whole. -
The organic society, hierarchy and paternalism
How do traditional conservatives interpret paternalism?
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In a hard form: those at the top are best placed to judge what is needed, and those below should defer to that judgement. -
The New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism
What does anti-permissiveness mean in neo-conservative thought?
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Opposition to the relaxation of traditional moral standards and social discipline. -
The New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism
What is neo-liberalism within the New Right principally concerned with?
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Rolling back the state in economic life and treating society as individuals pursuing their own ends. -
Differing views and tensions within conservatism
How do traditional and one-nation conservatives differ over the role of the state?
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Traditional conservatives see the state as the guarantor of order and hierarchy. One-nation conservatives accept a broader role, arguing that state action to relieve poverty is the price of social cohesion and of preventing revolution. -
Differing views and tensions within conservatism
How do conservative strands differ over human nature?
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All regard humans as imperfect, but traditional conservatives emphasise moral and psychological frailty requiring authority, while neo-liberals treat individuals as rational calculators competent to run their own lives if the state stands back.
The 6 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Pragmatism, tradition and human imperfection | Recall questions on change to conserve, why conservatives distrust abstract theory, what tradition is held to supply, and the three kinds of human imperfection. | 16 |
| The organic society, hierarchy and paternalism | Recall questions on the organic view of society, how it justifies authority and a functional hierarchy, and how traditional, one-nation and New Right conservatives view paternalism. | 9 |
| The New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism | Recall questions on the two halves of the New Right, what each wants from the state, and how libertarian economics sits beside social authoritarianism. | 13 |
| Differing views and tensions within conservatism | Recall questions on where the traditional, one-nation and New Right strands part company over the state, welfare, the economy and change itself. | 13 |
| Hobbes, Burke and Oakeshott | Recall questions on Hobbes on order and human nature, Burke on organic change and tradition, and Oakeshott on pragmatism against ideology. | 20 |
| Rand, Nozick and the New Right | Recall questions on Rand's objectivism and defence of unregulated capitalism, and Nozick on self-ownership and the limits of taxation. | 11 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,101 questions with their answers.