Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Joseph De Maistre
3 Mar 2016
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Document Summary
In the seventeenth lecture we turn our attention to conservatism. Conservatism, in general, is (1) traditionalist, (2) skeptical about political knowledge, and (3) affirms an organic conception of society and the state. Classical conservatives emphasize flawed human nature, hierarchy, tradition, and the rejection of revolutionary politics. Twenty-first century conservatives often support small government, free markets, and a strong military. Conservatism is sometimes distinguished from liberalism by its suspicion of rational justification and its appeal to sentiment over scrutiny. We look in some detail at edmund burke, the most influential conservative thinker. He rejects the french revolutionaries" views of human nature, society, freedom, and government. Burkean human beings are creatures of habit, custom, and tradition; and they are part of an organic conception of society. For burke, society is not a contract, or, if one must use contractual language, he says that society is a sacred, intergenerational covenant. He defends ordered liberty to act in accordance with society"s laws and institutions.
