Explain the Conservative philosophy of Human Imperfection. How has it influenced other Core Values? (15)

Conservatives largely have a very negative view on human nature believing, according to O’Sullivan, that they are imperfect and imperfectable in three distinct ways. Firstly they argue that human beings are psychologically limited and dependent. People like to ‘know their place’ in their social institution, change and excessive liberty challenges this notion creating a great degree of uncertainty which challenges individual happiness. Secondly, Conservatives argue human beings are morally flawed; Hobbes argued that it was a basic human instinct to seek power after power wanting to exploit one for the benefit of the self. For many traditionalists, this is rooted in the notion of the ‘original sin’ of Adam and Eve, of whom they believe us to all be descendants, as to the morally incapability of all human beings. Finally, Conservatives largely argue that human beings are intellectually flawed unable to comprehend the boundless and bottomless pit of political life (Oakeshott.) Rather than rooting their ideals in grand ideas, such as Socialism or ‘rights of man’, they ground their decisions in pragmatism, the collective history and experience to ensure a degree of continuity with change to not create instability.

From their view of Human Imperfection, there has been a heavy influence on the core doctrine of property. Conservatives believe that property promote social security as individuals have something to fall back on, thrift in itself is a value and Conservatives will always promote the expansion of home ownership as well as saving bonds. People with property are more stable in society and therefore will be more able to participate in society due to their stable foundations. Furthermore, property also aids to combat the issue of human moral imperfection. Those with property are more likely to respect other individual’s property and therefore more likely to submit to the laws for the benefit of their own property.    

Conservatives largely have a very negative view on human nature believing, according to O’Sullivan, that they are imperfect and imperfectable in three distinct ways. Firstly they argue that human beings are psychologically limited and dependent. People like to ‘know their place’ in their social institution, change and excessive liberty challenges this notion creating a great degree of uncertainty which challenges individual happiness. Secondly, Conservatives argue human beings are morally flawed; Hobbes argued that it was a basic human instinct to seek power after power wanting to exploit one for the benefit of the self. For many traditionalists, this is rooted in the notion of the ‘original sin’ of Adam and Eve, of whom they believe us to all be descendants, as to the morally incapability of all human beings. Finally, Conservatives largely argue that human beings are intellectually flawed unable to comprehend the boundless and bottomless pit of political life (Oakeshott.) Rather than rooting their ideals in grand ideas, such as Socialism or ‘rights of man’, they ground their decisions in pragmatism, the collective history and experience to ensure a degree of continuity with change to not create instability.

From their view of Human Imperfection, there has been a heavy influence on the core doctrine of property. Conservatives believe that property promote social security as individuals have something to fall back on, thrift in itself is a value and Conservatives will always promote the expansion of home ownership as well as saving bonds. People with property are more stable in society and therefore will be more able to participate in society due to their stable foundations. Furthermore, property also aids to combat the issue of human moral imperfection. Those with property are more likely to respect other individual’s property and therefore more likely to submit to the laws for the benefit of their own property.