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Single Idea 23132

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 3. Conservatism ]

Full Idea

The idea that the appearance of submission and obedience and rank are essential to order is at the heart of the conservative ideal.

Gist of Idea

Conservatives believe obedience and rank are essential to social order

Source

Adam Gopnik (A Thousand Small Sanities [2019], 2)

Book Ref

Gopnik,Adam: 'A Thousand Small Sanities' [riverrun 2019], p.102


A Reaction

[He has just quoted Edmund Burke writing of Marie Antoinette] I once heard Richard Hare say that he thought social order would be best modelled on the army. A colleague once told me that obedience is a prime duty of a school teacher.


The 13 ideas with the same theme [government based on cultural tradition and stability]:

Confucianism assumes that all good developments have happened, and there is only one Way [Norden on Kongzi (Confucius)]
All modern social systems seem to be conspiracies of the rich [More,T]
In the 1840s Hegel seemed to defend society being right as it is, as a manifestation of Mind [Hegel, by Singer]
We need both equality (to attend to human needs) and hierarchy (as a scale of responsibilities) [Weil]
National leaders want to preserve necessary order - but always the existing order [Weil]
Prosperity is a higher social virtue than justice [Kekes]
Conservatives are either individualistic, or communal [Sandel]
Allegiance is fundamental to the conservative view of society [Scruton]
So-called 'liberation' is the enemy of freedom, destroying the very structures that are needed [Scruton]
Belief that humans are wicked leads to authoritarian politics [Critchley]
Societies need shared values, so conservatism is right if rational discussion of values is impossible [Charvet]
Conservatives often want peace, prosperity and tolerance, but not social fairness [Gopnik]
Conservatives believe obedience and rank are essential to social order [Gopnik]