Politics · Year 13 · Core Political Ideologies · 1.º Período

Conservatism

An examination of the core principles of conservatism, including tradition, human imperfection, and organic society. Students will evaluate the different strands, from traditional to New Right conservatism.

TL;DR:Conservatism at A-Level explores the tension between the desire to preserve established institutions and the necessity of 'changing to conserve.' Students examine the foundational belief in human imperfection, which leads conservatives to favour tradition and pragmatism over abstract theories or radical social engineering. The curriculum traces the evolution from the organic society of Edmund Burke to the radical individualism of the New Right, challenging students to identify the common threads that bind these seemingly disparate strands.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• DfE A-Level Politics Subject Content: Core Ideologies (Conservatism)
• AQA 3.1.2.1 Conservatism

About This Topic

Conservatism at A-Level explores the tension between the desire to preserve established institutions and the necessity of 'changing to conserve.' Students examine the foundational belief in human imperfection, which leads conservatives to favour tradition and pragmatism over abstract theories or radical social engineering. The curriculum traces the evolution from the organic society of Edmund Burke to the radical individualism of the New Right, challenging students to identify the common threads that bind these seemingly disparate strands.

Understanding conservatism is vital for Year 13 students as it provides the ideological context for much of British political history and current policy. By exploring the nuances between One Nation paternalism and Thatcherite neoliberalism, students develop a sophisticated grasp of the UK's political landscape. This topic comes alive when students can physically map out the ideological shifts through collaborative sorting tasks and structured debates.

Key Questions

1. Why do conservatives value tradition and pragmatism?
2. How does the New Right differ from traditional conservatism?
3. What is the conservative view of human nature?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Conservatism is simply about keeping everything exactly the same.

What to Teach Instead

Conservatives actually accept change but insist it must be pragmatic and gradual. Peer discussion around the phrase 'change to conserve' helps students see that institutions are updated to ensure their survival, not just out of stubbornness.

Common Misconception

The New Right is entirely consistent with traditional conservatism.

What to Teach Instead

The New Right contains a paradox between neoliberal economic freedom and neoconservative social authority. Using a Venn diagram activity helps students surface the contradictions between wanting a small state for the economy but a strong state for law and order.

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation

The Conservative Spectrum

Set up four stations representing Traditional, One Nation, Neoliberal, and Neoconservative thought. At each station, small groups must identify a key thinker, a core policy example, and a quote, then explain how that station views 'human nature.'

45 min·Small Groups

Formal Debate

Change to Conserve

Divide the class into two teams representing Burkean Traditionalists and New Right Radicals. Debate the motion: 'This house believes that radical reform is more dangerous than stagnation,' using specific historical examples like the French Revolution or the 1980s miners' strike.

30 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share

The Organic Society

Students individually sketch a metaphor for the 'organic society' (e.g., a tree or a human body). They then pair up to explain how their metaphor justifies inequality and hierarchy before sharing the most effective analogies with the class.

15 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the core tensions within conservatism?

The main tension lies between the New Right's desire for radical free-market reform and the traditional conservative preference for stability and hierarchy. While traditionalists value the 'organic' community, neoliberals like Margaret Thatcher famously questioned the very existence of society, prioritising individual choice and meritocracy instead.

How do conservatives view human nature?

Conservatives generally hold a pessimistic view, seeing humans as flawed, security-seeking, and intellectually limited. This belief justifies the need for strong institutions, law and order, and a reliance on tradition rather than untried utopian schemes which they believe are destined to fail due to human imperfection.

How can active learning help students understand conservatism?

Active learning allows students to simulate the pragmatic decision-making process that defines conservatism. By using role-play scenarios where students must 'fix' a societal problem without causing a revolution, they experience the conservative preference for empiricism over theory. This hands-on approach makes abstract concepts like 'organicism' or 'paternalism' much more tangible and memorable.

Who are the key conservative thinkers for A-Level?

The DfE requirements focus on Thomas Hobbes, Edmund Burke, Michael Oakeshott, Ayn Rand, and Robert Nozick. Students must be able to contrast Hobbes's view of a chaotic state of nature with Oakeshott's more moderate preference for 'the familiar to the unknown' and Rand's radical objectivism.