Paternalistic conservatism is a strand ofconservatism[1][2] which reflects the belief that societies exist, and develop, organically, and that members within them have obligations towards each other.[3] There is particular emphasis on thepaternalistic obligation, referencing the feudal concept ofnoblesse oblige, of those who are privileged and wealthy to the poorer parts of society. Consistent with principles such asduty,hierarchy, andorganicism, it can be seen as an outgrowth oftraditionalist conservatism. Paternalistic conservatives do not support theindividual or thestate in principle but are instead prepared to support either or recommend a balance between the two depending on what is most practical.[4]
Paternalistic conservatism emphasizes the duties of the government to entail fairly broadstate interventionism to cultivate a good life for all citizens.[5] This leads to adirigiste path in which the government is envisaged as a benevolent paternal figure setting goals and ensuring fair play and equal opportunity,[5] with a stress on the importance of asocial safety net to deal withpoverty and support ofredistribution of wealth, along with government regulation of markets in the interests of both consumers and producers.[6] Although accepting of state intervention, paternalistic conservatives are not supportive of anything resembling acommand economy.[7]
Paternalistic conservatism first arose as a result of the industrial revolution during the 19th century, which had created social unrest, appalling working conditions and inequality. In the United Kingdom,Benjamin Disraeli'sone-nation conservatism sought to deal with these effects.[6][8] In the United Kingdom, there has been a continuation of one-nation conservative governments, such as those ofStanley Baldwin,Neville Chamberlain,Winston Churchill, andHarold Macmillan.[9] During the 19th century in Germany,Otto von Bismarck established the first modernwelfare state, with the goal of underminingsocialism by gaining working-class support.[10] He implemented policies of state-organized compulsory insurance for workers against sickness, accident, incapacity and old age as part of hisState Socialism programme.[11]Leo von Caprivi also promoted a policy called the New Course.[12]
Paternalistic conservatism has its origins in theIndustrial Revolution, which had caused widespreadeconomic inequality, poverty, and social discontent.[13] In the United Kingdom,Tory politicians, such asRichard Oastler,Michael Thomas Sadler andLord Shaftesbury combined their elitist responsibility and a strong humanitarian element with their involvement on theFactory Acts.[5] Critical of individualism andclassical economics,[5] they also disliked the 1834New Poor Law and believed in the role of the state in guaranteeing decent housing, working conditions, wages and treatment of the poor.[5]
One-nation conservatism was first conceived in the United Kingdom byConservative prime ministerBenjamin Disraeli,[14] who presented his political philosophy in two novels,Coningsby andSybil, Or The Two Nations, published in 1844 and 1845, respectively.[13][15] Disraeli proposed a paternalistic society with thesocial classes intact but theworking class receiving support from the well off. He emphasised the importance ofsocial obligation rather than theindividualism that pervaded British society.[14] Disraeli warned that the United Kingdom would become divided into two nations (of the rich and poor) as a result of increasedindustrialisation and inequality.[13] Concerned at that division, he supported measures to improve the lives of the people, to provide social support and to protect the working classes.[14]
Disraeli justified his ideas by his belief in an organic society in which the different classes have natural obligations to one another.[14] He saw society as naturally hierarchical and emphasised the obligations of those at the top to those below. This was a continuation of the feudal concept ofnoblesse oblige, which asserted that the aristocracy had an obligation to be generous and honourable. To Disraeli, that implied that government should be paternalistic.[13] One-nation conservatism identifies its approach as pragmatic and non-ideological. There is an acceptance of the need for flexible policies, and one-nation conservatives have often sought compromise with their ideological opponents for the sake of social stability.[16] Disraeli justified his views pragmatically, arguing that should the ruling class become indifferent to the suffering of the people, society would become unstable and social revolution would become a possibility.[14]
In 1878, theGerman conservative andLutheran figureAdolf Stoecker founded theChristian Social Workers' Party with intent to align workers withProtestant Christianity and theGerman monarchy.[17] Stoecker respected existing social hierarchies but also desired a state that would be active in protecting the poor and vulnerable citizens.[18] On occasion, Stoecker usedantisemitic rhetoric to gain support; he urged supporters to practiceChristian love even towards Jews.[18]
AsChancellor of Germany,Otto von Bismarck pursued a state-building strategy designed to make ordinary Germans more loyal to the country, implementing the modern welfare state in Germany during the 1880s.[19] Bismarck was fearful of asocialist revolution, and he created the firstwelfare state in the modern world with the goal of gaining working class support that might otherwise go to his socialist opponents.[10] He adopted policies of state-organized compulsory insurance for workers to guard against sickness, accident, incapacity and old age in what has been namedState Socialism.[11] The termState Socialism was coined by Bismarck'sGerman liberal opposition; it was later accepted by Bismarck.[20] Bismarck was aconservative, not asocialist, and he enacted theAnti-Socialist Laws. Bismark's State Socialism was based uponRomanticist political thought in which the state was supreme and carried out Bismarck's agenda of supporting "the protest of collectivism against individualism" and of "nationality against cosmopolitanism" and stated that "the duty of the State is to maintain and promote the interests, the well-being of the nation as such".[21] Rather, his actions were designed to offset the growth of theSocial Democratic Party of Germany.[11] In addition, the policy ofnationalization of thePrussian state railways was established after theunification of Germany, bringing transportation under the control of the state.[22][23]
A red Tory is an adherent of apolitical philosophy derived from theTory tradition, predominantly in Canada but also in the United Kingdom. This philosophy tends to favoursocial policies that arecommunitarian, while maintaining a degree offiscal discipline and a respect of thepolitical order.[24] In Canada, red Toryism is found in provincial and federal Conservative political parties. The history of red Toryism marks differences in the development of the political cultures of Canada and the United States.Canadian conservatism andAmerican conservatism have been different from each other in fundamental ways, including their stances on social issues and the role of government in society.[25]
In Europe, Catholic political movements emerged in the 19th century as a response to widespread deterioration of social conditions and risinganti-clerical and democratic tendencies amongst artisans and workers.[26] It mixed social commitment, paternalistic social welfare, and authoritarian patronage from above with deepening popular piety.[27]
During the post-war Japan, policies led by theright-wing conservativeLiberal Democratic Party (LDP) became a political model closer to paternalistic democracy than Western-styleliberal democracy.[29] In many ways, modern Japan is considered to be a paternalistic state including socially conservative elements, such asConfucian tradition.[30] In the case of the LDP administration under the1955 System in Japan, their degree of economic control was stronger than that of Western conservative governments; it was also positioned closer tosocial democracy at that time.[31] Since the 1970s, the oil crisis has slowed economic growth and increased the resistance of urban citizens to policies that favor farmers.[32] To maintain its dominant position, the LDP sought to expand party supporters by incorporating social security policies and pollution measures advocated by opposition parties.[32] It was also historically closely positioned tocorporate statism.[33][34]
Founded in 1960, theDemocratic Socialist Party (DSP) officially supported social democracy. Due to itsJapanese nationalist,anti-communist, and socially conservative nature, it was politically different from ordinary social democrats and was more politically close to the right-wing LDP, and was regarded as a conservative political party in Japan at the time.[35]
Peronism is considered a paternalistic ideology.[36] However, traditional Peronism tends to support a command economy, unlike common paternalistic conservatives. Some scholars evaluate Peronism as a mixture of 'militantlaborism' and 'traditional conservatism'.[37]
In the United States,Theodore Roosevelt has been the main figure identified withprogressive conservatism as a political tradition. Roosevelt stated that he had "always believed that wise progressivism and wise conservatism go hand in hand".[38] Roosevelt's ideas, such that ofNew Nationalism, an extension of his earlier philosophy of theSquare Deal, have been described as paternalistic and contrasted with the individualistic program,The New Freedom, ofWoodrow Wilson from theDemocratic Party. Wilson's program in practice has been described as resembling the more paternalistic ideas of Roosevelt, excluding the notion of reining in judges.[39]
TheRepublican Party administration ofWilliam Howard Taft was progressive conservative and he described himself as "a believer in progressive conservatism",[40]Dwight D. Eisenhower also declared himself an advocate of progressive conservatism.[41]
Unlike manyfree market conservative ideologies likeliberal conservatism andright-libertarianism, paternalistic conservatism supportspaternalism and socialsolidarity as opposed tocommercialism,individualism, andlaissez-faire economics.[42][43] Because of this, it is sometimes labelled "right-wing socialism" or "conservative socialism" pejoratively by free market economists, includingMurray Rothbard andJesús Huerta de Soto.[44][45] Huerta de Soto also argues that paternalist conservatism supports a state-promotedsocial hierarchy, maintaining theprivileges afforded to certain groups in society.[46]
Although paternalistic conservatives are accepting of state intervention, it is within the context of a market-basedsocial democratic orsocial marketmixed economy. They do not support an economy resembling acommand or planned economy,[7] or an economy in which there is public control over themeans of production, one of the stated goals ofsocialism.
Paternalistic conservatives justify their pragmatic approach by asserting that if the ruling classes become indifferent to the hardships and suffering experienced by the common people, it could lead to societal and political instability eventually leading to violent revolution.[14] Subsequently policies must be implemented to address the need to address the needs of all classes within society in order to maintain social harmony. Furthermore, paternalistic conservatives supportequality of opportunity and fair play, aiming to ensure that there remains a level playing field for individuals to pursue success based on merit.[5]
[A] Conservative who holds liberal or mildly socialist views on certain fiscal and social issues.
... Prime Minister Kishi, who leaned toward statecorporatist notions that included paternalistic welfare policy, gave way to Ikeda Hayato, who was more inclined toward free-market liberalism. ...
... more or less corrupt Liberal Democratic Party politicians, and the representatives of big business, Japan is a paternalistic state that conforms in many respects to the Confucian tradition ...
ただし、日本の55年体制下の自民党政権の場合は欧米の保守政権に比べるとかなり経済的統制の度合いが強く、社会民主主義により近い場所に位置した。
Continuing cooperation between the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the New Liberal Club (NLC), and the conservative Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), will probably assure conservative rule for some time to come.
Quotations related toPaternalistic conservatism at Wikiquote
