Studying at York
Politics & Freedom: Anarchism & Conservatism - PHI00118I
Module summary
In some ways, it is hard to imagine two more diametrically opposed philosophies than anarchism and conservatism. But both anarchism and conservatism come in many varieties, and there are interesting and surprising things that some anarchists and some conservatives agree about. This module will investigate views about liberty, authority, value and justice, and explore the ways in which scepticism and an emphasis on liberty can be developed in very different directions.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
Module aims
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To understand different forms of two political philosophies.
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To introduce students to the critical study of demanding historical and contemporary texts which deal with often controversial subjects in a measured and analytical way.
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To think carefully about various issues in value theory and other moral and political issues.
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To gain confidence and improve students’ ability to write and communicate clearly and precisely.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
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Explain what proponents of several forms of conservatism and anarchism believe, and why.
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Explain some of the arguments motivating conservativism and anarchism, and some of the issues in value theory and other areas of philosophy which those arguments are about.
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Articulate clearly and precisely what is at issue in debates about political authority, the value of tradition, rationalism in politics, and liberty; and reach a careful judgement about what to say in those debates.
Module content
Many anarchists agree with many conservatives about the importance of liberty, and in their trust of individuals. But anarchism is a radical political philosophy, whilst conservativism is (often) resistant to radical politics. How do these shared commitments lead to such different political ideals? In fact, both anarchism and conservatism are broad churches, with deep disputes between different kinds of anarchists and between different kinds of conservatives. We will investigate some of the ideological connections between, and some of the divisions within, anarchism and conservativism.
Along the way, we will consider various issues including the value of liberty, scepticism about political institutions, the role of tradition and the rationality of ‘status quo bias’, whether we have a general obligation to obey the law, the advantages and dangers of optimism and of pessimism, and how to think about justice. We will read historical and contemporary texts, some famous and some more obscure, and we will consider arguments which those texts present and, in many cases, reconstruct missing arguments and take a step back to consider broader philosophical ideas, from philosophy of law, ethics and the study of rationality, as well as political philosophy, which inform or give us a useful perspective on the claims of our authors.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
All feedback will be returned within current University and Departmental guidelines.
Indicative reading
Key texts may include:
Anarchism
Background
Ruth Kinna, The Government of No One: The Theory and Practice of Anarchism
Rationalist Utilitarian Anarchism
William Godwin, An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1st Ed. [1793]) (Oxford: OUP (2013)), Book III Chapters 3–6
Individualistic Associationism
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, ‘The Authority Principle’ [1851] in Daniel Guérin (ed.) No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism (Compete Edition, Oakland, CA: AK Press, 2005), pp. 81–98.
Emma Goldman, ‘Anarchism: What it Really Stands For’ in Anarchism and Other Essays (New York: Mother Earth Publishing Association, 1911)
Socialist Anarchism
Petr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread (Cambridge: CUP), Chapter 4.
Michel Bakunin, God and the State etc. in Readings from the Founder of Anarchism
Ruth Kinna, ‘Kropotkin’s Theory of Mutual Aid in Historical Context’, International Review of Social History 40 (1995), pp. 259–83.
Conservativism
Conservativism as an Attitude to Change, and the Rationality of Status-Quo Bias
Michael Oakeshott, ‘On Being Conservative’ in Rationalism in Politics (London: Methuen & Co., 1962)
Geoffrey Brennan & Alan Hamlin, ‘Practical Conservativism’, The Monist 99:4 (2016), pp. 336–51
F. A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty [1960], ‘Postscript: Why I am Not a Conservative’, in The Constitution of Liberty: The Definitive Edition (Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 2011)
Conservative Valuing
G. A. Cohen, ‘Rescuing Conservativism: A Defence of Existing Value’ in Finding Oneself in the Other (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press)
Geoffrey Brennan & Alan Hamlin, ‘Conservative Value’, The Monist 99:4 (2016), pp. 352–71
Conservativism, Epistemology and Organisation
F. A. Hayek, Law, Legislation and Liberty: A New Statement of the Liberal Principles of Justice and Political Economy (London: Routledge, 1982 [1973–9]), Vol. 1 Chapter 2 (‘Cosmos and Taxis’)
Conservativism Applied
Amy R. Baehr, ‘Conservatism, Feminism, and Elizabeth Fox-Genovese’, Hypatia 24:2 (2009), pp. 101–124
Roger Scruton, Green Philosophy: How to Think Seriously About the Planet (London: Atlantic, 2012), Chapters 1 & 8.
Anarchism and Conservatism
Property
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, selections from Property is Theft
Petr Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread (Cambridge: CUP), Chapter 1 Section II
Voltairine de Cleyre, ‘In Defence of Emma Goldman and the Right of Expropriation’ [1894], reprinted in The Voltairine de Cleyre Reader (ed. A. J. Brigati, Oakland, Cal.: AK Press, 2004).)
Jeffrey Brennan, Why Not Capitalism? (Oxford: Routledge, 2014), Chapter 4. (Read Chapter 2 as background.)