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Summary A* Politics A-Level Ideologies Notes | High-Quality, Detailed & Exam-Focused

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Ideologies (7152)

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Struggling with Political Ideologies? Stop wasting time with incomplete notes and confusing textbooks! These A-level, exam-focused notes cover everything you need to smash your exams – key thinkers, core beliefs, debates, and exam-ready analysis. Designed for maximum clarity and efficiency, they ...

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Political Ideologies

Conservatism

Origins:
● Reaction to the Enlightenment 1685-1815
● Tory reaction to the Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights 1689
● Began to crystallise as an ideology in the late 18th Century as a response to the French
Revolution
● Focused on the value of tradition and continuity rather than abstract liberal ideas
● Conservatives believed attempts to create a utopian society would result in failure
● Conservatism opposed revolution and promoted the idea of ‘change to conserve’

Main Beliefs/Core Ideas:
● Against radical/revolutionary change and ideas
● There is no end goal in Conservative thinking
● Pragmatic and flexible approach to politics
● Support gradual change
● Free market capitalism is central to a thriving economy that can provide wealth for all
● Support the view that freedom and individual choice are crucial
● Views on Society:
● Society is a collection of small local communities
● Society must emerge gradually and cannot be created from new
● Examines society from an evidence based viewpoint
● Focus on building on culture and the past
● Society has a natural hierarchy
● Strong focus on Judaeo-Christian beliefs
● Property is important and should be passed down
● Views on State:
● State’s role is to provide order, security and authority
● State should emerge gradually in response to society’s needs
● State controlled by ruling classes
● Capitalism

Traditional Conservatism (French Revolution to Late 19th Century):
● Hierarchy: Human nature and society are naturally divided by wealth, status and power
● Paternalism: The elite have a sense of duty to the many and should act like a “father to
its children”
● Order: Government provides clear rules to ensure society is ordered, peaceful and stable

, ● Freedom: Certain limits on freedom to allow everyone to enjoy it responsibly
● Social Attitudes: Certain moral values that provide stability and certainty eg. marriage,
nuclear family, gender roles
● ‘Little Platoons’: Society is a collection of little platoons not individuals. Each small
community provides a sense of security and order. A centralised state would be damaging
to society
● Change to Conserve: Change and reform must be gradual to respect tradition
● Empiricism: Focus on what works rather than what theory says will work

One-Nation Conservatism:
Threat of Disorder:
● One-nation conservatism emerged to respond to the threat of socialism, class conflict and
free market economics
One Nation:
● Idea that Conservatism should focus the bonds that hold society together as part of a
nation. Benjamin Disraeli- “the palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy”
Change to Conserve:
● Disraeli was concerned with the effects of the unchecked free market but accepted the
rise of big cities. He wanted to tackle the worst consequences of the market to conserve
society
Paternalism:
● The wealthy have a responsibility to the poorer

New Right Conservatism:
Origins:
● As a response to the rise of authoritarian regimes in the 20th century such as Nazi
Germany. Also a response to the growth of the role of the state post WW2 and the
development of the welfare state and increased taxation.
Small State:
● Inspired by Ayn Rand’s idea of the ‘morality of rational self-interest’. For ration
self-interest the state’s role needs to be reduced. The New Right opposes public spending
on welfare as it is unjust and creates a dependency culture.
Free-Market Capitalism:
● Believes market forces are the best method for the distribution and management of
society’s resources. Cuts in taxation and government spending are needed to return to free
market capitalism. Everyone should be free to follow all the opportunities they can with
minimal regulation. Idea of trickle-down economics
Society:
● The New Right is divided between neo-conservatives and neo-liberals. Neo-conservatives
want to extend the role of the state to further promote family values and to protect

, national security and defence. Neo-liberals believe everyone should have individual
choice about morality and the state should be stripped back to the minimum.

Hobbes:
● Philosopher during the 17th Century
● Best known for his work, ‘Leviathan’ (1651)
● Sceptical view of human nature, said humans likely to commit cruel and destructive acts
● Said the world was a place of scarce resources where individuals were driven by
self-interest
● Said humans have a relentless desire for acquiring goods, an immovable distrust of others
and a constant fear of death
● “Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”
● No formal authority = natural chaos
● Believed in a social contract between individuals and a sovereign (state)
● Said the state’s power must be concentrated
● The state’s role is for the creation of order and security

Burke:
● Burke was an Irish born British politician and philosopher during the 18th Century
● He is considered the father of modern Conservatism
● He lived during a time of great political and social upheaval, including the American and
French Revolutions
● Burke believed in a natural hierarchy based on merit and saw it to be essential for social
stability and progress.
● He viewed society as an organic entity that evolves slowly over time
● Emphasised the importance of preserving existing institutions and traditions
● He criticised the Enlightenment belief in reason and preferred practical wisdom
● Burke believed that religion stabilised society
● Saw the monarchy and the Church as essential in maintaining order
● Emphasised the importance of community and the common good
● “Our patience will achieve more than our force.” - Burke
● “To innovate is not to reform.” - Burke
●

Oakeshott:
● Oakeshott was a British philosopher during the 20th century
● Lived during both world wars and was fearful of the rise of totalitarianism
● His works ‘Experience and Its Modes’ (1933) and ‘Rationalism in Politics’ (1962)
explore human experience, tradition, and the limitations of rationalism
● Believed in traditional conservatism and the importance of preservation
● Viewed politics as a practical activity rather than an abstract theory
● Oakeshott criticised rationalism and argued that attempts to impose abstract schemes on
society often lead to unintended consequences and social upheaval.
● Oakeshott saw conservatism as a state of mind rather than a fixed ideology
● He emphasised the importance of civil association as a means of preserving freedom and

, order
● He saw conservatism as a balancing act between continuity and change, recognising the
need for adaptation while preserving the essential elements of society
● “The man of conservative temperament believes that a known good is not lightly to
be surrendered for an unknown better.” - Oakeshott
Rand:
● Ayn Rand was a Russian-American philosopher and novelist who rose to prominence in
the mid-20th century.
● Her philosophy, known as Objectivism, emphasised reason, individualism, and
laissez-faire capitalism.
● Rand wrote novels, such as ‘The Fountainhead’ (1943) and ‘Atlas Shrugged’ (1957)
● She lived through the Russian Revolution and became deeply sceptical of collectivist
ideologies, which heavily influenced her work.
● Rand championed rational self-interest as the foundation of ethical behaviour, arguing
that individuals should pursue their own happiness and success without sacrificing
themselves to others.
● She viewed capitalism as the only moral social system, advocating for limited
government intervention and free markets.
● Rand rejected religion and ethics, instead promoting egoism and the pursuit of one's own
values.
● Her philosophy focused on the virtues of productive achievement, individual rights, and
the pursuit of rational self-interest.
● Rand's ideas continue to influence libertarian and conservative thought, particularly in the
realms of economics and individual liberty.
● “The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights
cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.” - Rand
Nozick:
● Robert Nozick was an American philosopher who emerged as a prominent figure in the
late 20th century.
● His most notable work, ‘Anarchy, State, and Utopia’ (1974), is a key text in
Conservatism philosophy.
● Nozick was influenced by libertarian ideas and classical liberalism, advocating for
minimal state intervention and individual freedom.
● He critiqued the redistributive policies of modern welfare states, arguing that they
infringed upon individuals' rights to property and self-determination.
● Nozick's concept of the minimal state, outlined in ‘Anarchy, State, and Utopia’ stated
that the only legitimate function of government is to protect individuals from force, fraud,
and coercion.
● He emphasised the importance of individual rights and the principle of self-ownership,
asserting that individuals have the right to live their lives as they see fit, as long as they
do not harm others.
● Nozick's ideas on justice and the role of the state challenged prevailing theories of
distributive justice, advocating for a "historical" theory of justice based on the voluntary
acquisition of property and the principle of entitlement.
● While not strictly a conservative thinker in the traditional sense, Nozick's emphasis on
individual rights, limited government, and free markets aligns with many conservative

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