Liberalism and Conservatism - Assignment Example

Q4) Liberalism and Conservatism Liberalism and conservatism are considered as the two pillars of the modern political ideology. In its essence, Liberalism concentrates on the position of the individual as the centermost figure besides showing a strong faith in the powers of the market economy. It therefore went on to pursue that governments are itself problems and not the solution. The emphasis is being placed on the market economies to be doing and working as invisible hand to facilitate the social phenomenon in the society. On the similar count, conservatism also believes that the governments have grown too large and that the governments are weakening the competitiveness through taxes. Both political ideologies focus on the individual therefore there is a strong opposition towards communism as alternative political as well economic system. However there are subtle differences between the approaches of the two political ideologies towards the basic theoretical tenants. Conservatism however also puts its weight behind the role of societies and communities on greater scale rather than the individual and allows governments to perform certain tasks while at the same time showing some skepticism at the market economy and it is because of this reason that it has been advocating the use of history and tradition in tried and true ways as a reflection of the Past. As Burke argued that history was a great testing laboratory and the longevity of an institution was a mark of its legitimacy. The more important and a subtle difference between the two approaches to the political ideologies are their differences on the social freedom and economic rights. To conservatives, religion seems to be a contributing factor in the society and it is because of this reason that they oppose to the homosexual marriages etc. Besides on the economic front, conservatives are considered to be sort of nationalists who in order to protect the local economy advocate the use of tariffs as the some sort of barriers which will provide some sort of protection to the local economy and it is because of this reason, conservatism is also considered as some sort of socialism because of their emphasis on the role of government and controlled economy. It is also because of this reason that both the political ideologies despite advocating their opposition towards the communism, the conservatism seem to be opposing to the free trade and do not view market economies or capitalism as the only solution to the sufferings of men and therefore advocate the role of government intervention into it. I believe conservatism is a better approach as compared to the liberalism. Since social phenomenon do not emerge as a result of individuals but due to the collective efforts of the individuals therefore society has a greater role to play in the world rather than individual. Besides the complete faith into the free market economies may be a blind faith as the results of the centuries suggest that not even capitalism is the solution to the problems of the world and rather it increased them. Q2) Locke and Berke on Property Rights “Assume a non-propertied society in which rational, self-interested, utility-maximizing individuals seek to advantage themselves. A resource (land) is used in common by all, each of whom is led to use that resource beyond the level that a rational collective decision-making process would promote. As there are no internal costs to the use of the resource (outside of ones own labor), the resource is overused, and each individual imposes external costs on others, leading to the eventual "tragedy of the commons." The solution to this tragedy is to privatize the commons.” (Henry). These views quite clearly define how the Locke views the private property rights as one of the effective solutions to the evils of the society. Though while discussing the role of property Rights, Locke maintains its position of the individualism however stress that in order to unite men under commonwealth, one has to preserve the property rights. However there is also a religious angle behind the Locke’s views on the private property as the national building phenomenon. He view the property rights within the greater context of God given rights to the men therefore when societies develop and grow, the private property prove as a binding mechanism for the members of the society giving them a reason to live and build together as a nation. Locke’s views are based on the historical account of the fact that nations build due to their common reliance on some particular resource. All the primitive societies which emerged out of the ashes of the time were those which were united due to the need for some particular common good and that particular common good was private property thus Locke view that in order to help build commonwealths, men has to take care of his God given rights of private property as a mean to build on the nation. Edmund Burke was considered as a conservative who largely opposed the French Revolution however supported the American Revolution therefore his views on the property rights as the nation building tool are also considered as those related with the American school of thought. Since being a conservative, his and Locke’s views are similar in nature regarding the role of property rights as a nation building tool. Being a conservative, there were some nationalist tendencies in the Burke and It is because of this reason that Burke is not often labeled as a true political philosopher in its most stronger sense however his views are quite clear on how property rights should be viewed as a nation binding phenomenon rather than viewing them as a separate and individual act of possessing the property rights however, it is also believed that Burke rejected the historical idea that the societies build out of their reliance on the common good and thus is considered as opposed to the sequential flow of history. However, his views are quite driven out of the similar historical phenomenon of reliance on some good as basis of developing nations. Q3) Paine and Berke The views of the Burke were quite clear on the French Revolution. He viewed it as the end of the Western Civilization. Being the conservative in his political as well as philosophical orientation, Burke viewed the legitimacy claimed by the French Assembly of 1789 as the breach of trust not by the ruler but by the ruled. It is because of this reason that he Burke strongly opposed to the idea of the natural government and the pre-supposition of the people to be ruled by occasional will of the majority. Burke in its essence was opposed to the fact the he viewed the French Revolution founded on the abstract notions that purported to be rational but in fact ignored the complexities of human nature and society. Paine’s moment of truth came when he responded to the above arguments put forward by the Berke against the Political legitimacy of the French Assembly. Paine viewed that legitimacy as the return of humanity to its perfection from where it had dragged away. It was because of this reason that Paine was often labeled as the one having radical ideas particularly deviating from the established arguments however his views on the French Revolution and subsequent legitimacy are quite clear where he viewed it as a natural phenomenon where the will of the people decided their own fate. It was because of the fact that Paine was a pure democrat in his political orientation and believed on the will of the people to decide about its own fate. Works Cited Henry, John F. "John Locke, property rights, and economic theory." Journal of Economic Issues 33.3 (1999): 609. Read More