How far do conservatives agree about the society they wish to create?
The first point to make is that traditional conservatives agree that society is not something that can be planned. Instead, it must be built organically over time. Edmund Burke, writing in reaction to the French Revolution was a key proponent of this organicism. Burke argued that the French Revolution’s attempt to create a new society was flawed because it failed to recognise the fallibility of humans. This view has been sharply challenged by the New Right who were much more ideological and had a vision for a society that they wished to create, one that was less permissive and where humans were more free of the shackles of the state.
There is more disagree amongst traditional and New Right conservatives over the concept of localism. Traditional conservatives believe that humans are naturally communal and therefore society is the product of the local community, what Edmund Burke termed the ‘little platoons’. For Burke, the Little Platoons provided people with security and inspiration whilst also holding back individuals from just looking out for their own interests. This was a view supported and developed by the One Nation conservatives of the 19th and 20th centuries. One Nation conservatives such as Disraeli and Bismarck extended the ‘little platoons’ into far larger national ones. They argued that all within the nation were part of one family and therefore should look out for the interests of all. This view was seen in the post war premierships of Macmillan and Heath in Britain. Both men had seen the deprivation and hardships of the 1930s and supported things like the National Health Service as a way to protect the national community. Hence, by the 20th Century, the localism of traditional conservatism had broaden into something larger. The New Right take a different view and instead would argue that society is more atomistic. Famously, Margaret Thatcher said that ‘there is no such thing as society’. In this, Thatcher was arguing for a small state rather than a completely atomistic society. In fact, she actually said that people should look after themselves and their friends and family first before looking to the state for help. Therefore, she wasn’t disregarding the notion of ‘little platoons’. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the New Right were less interested in ideas of localism, believing in the primacy of the individual.
Conservatives tend to agree that society should be built and guided by Christian principles. Edmund Burke and Michael Oakeshott both agreed that a society which was informed by tradition and the Christian church would help guide people towards making the right decisions and curb the irrationality of humans. Similarly, the New Right were also believers of the importance of a society based around Christian principles. Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a methodist minister, placed Christian values at the heart of much of her social policy. For example, her decision to enforce section 28, which banned the teaching of homosexuality in schools, Thatcher said that “Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay.” Even more recently, conservative governments have pushed the importance of Christian values. For example, in 2013, Education Secretary, Michael Gove purchased a copy of the King James Bible for every school in the country.
Conservatives also agree about the importance of property. Traditional conservatives argued that property is a link between the living and the dead. It is something that is inherited by one generation from another and therefore fits in with their beliefs in traditions and paternalism also. Moreover, thinkers such as Burke saw property ownership as important because it gave people a stake in society. Those who had something to lose were far less likely to seek a revolution and would work to protect the society as it was. For the New Right, the right to own property has become even more vital tenant of the society they wish to create. This was best exemplified by Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy in the 1980s. The Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher gave council house tenants the right to buy their council home at a heavily discounted rate. The policy was wildly popular. It allowed council tenants, who had previously paid rent to the local council, to now buy their own homes, giving them the freedom to make renovations as they pleased whilst also offer security. It was Thatcher’s intention that those who had the right to buy would now have a stake in the society and to establish a ‘property owning democracy. For the New Right, property spoke more to the desire of people to be individuals and to have more control over their lives. Therefore, whilst the rationale for property as a key element of the conservative society has altered somewhat, there is almost no disagreement amongst conservatives that property ownership is vital for a functioning society.
Finally, there is considerable agreement within conservatism in the need for hierarchies. Edmund Burke argued that even within his ‘little platoons’, structures would form whereby some would inevitably hold more power and status that others. One Nation conservatives similarly believe in the notion of hierarchies. However, they would put more emphasis on paternalism and the responsibility of those at the top to look after those at the bottom. The nineteenth century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli famously said that ‘the palace was not safe when the cottage is not happy’. As such, conservative politicians of the next century looked to introduce social reforms to improve the lives of the less fortunate. Does the New Right believe in hierarchies? The answer is yes but the hierarchies that the New Right looks to are much more meritocratic rather then based on aristocratic background. Margaret Thatcher was a not from an aristocratic background like most members of the Conservative Party had been and she sought to construct a society in her image whereby those who worked hard and showed innovation could rise above. Therefore, once again, it is fair to say that most conservatives believe in hierarchies and turn away from the belief in a need for equality Nevertheless, the hierarchies they believe in have altered somewhat over time.
