![]() ![]() servants were seen as either good or bad: the good ones worked hard, were trustworthy and were subservient the bad were lazy, were liable to steal, were impudent, etc. The wealthy knew very little about the majority of the lower classes mostly, the ones they knew were servants (although they might know a bit about some of the workers on their estates). moreover, rich and poor tended to live in almost completely different worlds. This was usually attributed to innate lack of capability rather than to lack of opportunity. Also, in the 18th & 19th Cs, the majority of people had little education and illiteracy was very high. Partly, this is rooted in the traditional Christian concept of original sin which means that all humans are born sinful. ![]() in general, conservatives have a pessimistic view of human nature and of human capabilities, at least of the majority, the masses. Many of the differences in our 3 ideologies are rooted in their markedly different assessments of human nature. Humans are the building blocks of society conforming to and working with human nature seems a prerequisite for creating an ideal, smoothly functioning society. As we shall see, such an assessment is a basic starting point for all ideologies about how society should be structured and order maintained. First we shall look at their assessment of human nature. before turning to Metternichs statement, we shall discuss a number of features of conservatism. Rather, I shall be trying to determine how well you understand their views, how well you got inside their heads. When you are examined, you will not be examined on your agreement with or your opinions about conservatism (having opinions about something you dont understand merely makes you opinionated, not knowledgeable or wise). I do not require you to agree with conservatives (or indeed with liberals or socialists either) what I do require is that you try to understand what they believed and how they viewed the world (i.e., their cosmology). also, whether they were mistaken or not, it was their beliefs which determined their behaviour and you cannot begin to understand why they did what they did until you have some understanding of how they thought. however, many of the proponents of conservative views were sincere in their beliefs they may have been mistaken, but that is something to consider & to examine carefully. The charge probably has a good deal of truth in it, but nearly everyone does the same thing to some degree at least conservatives are not unique in this regard. conservatives, especially if wealthy landowners, are highly vulnerable to the charge that their philosophies and ideologies of conservatism are merely attempts to rationalise their self-interest & to justify their privileges and disproportionate share of wealth. It often comes out in labour disputes where strikers are trying to get higher wages and benefits but will argue that justice and truth are the real issues in the dispute. it is true that we humans have a great tendency to rationalise our own self-interest. Therefore, anyone who espouses different views must be ignorant and stupid or have some ulterior motive (probably something in it for them). ![]() ![]() We assume that our own views (or those we have inherited) are the truth and that every thinking, right-minded person will reach the same conclusion and views. most conservative views are dismissed automatically and without much thought moreover, there is a too hasty tendency to impute evil motives to anyone who espouses ideas which are different from our own. We have been raised in an era when what were liberal and radical views are now taken as the norm conservative views, on the other hand, are very much out of fashion and most survive only in very limited places and contexts. it is unlikely that any of you will be very sympathetic to the views and beliefs of conservatism. Metternichs conservatism is more extreme, but more representative of thinking and outlooks in Europe. it is true that conservatism in Britain differed in a number of significant ways (we shall not examine it). Also, his statement sent to Tsar Alexander I provides a very succinct statement of the basic principles and viewpoint of a great many conservatives in Europe in the 19th C. Therefore his views were very influential over much of Europe for over 30 years. He helped to set up the continental system after 1815 and the period 1815-48 has sometimes been called the Metternich era. Metternich was a long time member of the government of the Hapsburg Empire of Austriaforeign minister from 1809 and chancellor (chief minister) from 1821-1848. we shall rely a great deal upon Count Metternichs views (see Metternichs ∼onfession of Faith). ![]()
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