Burke Flashcards
1
Q
Edmund Burke
A
- Liberal member of Whig Party in Ireland
2
Q
French Revolution
A
- Starts as Paris street riots after 90 years of food shortages
- Three Estates Assembly
- Women’s March on Versaille
3
Q
Three Estates Assembly
A
- Nobles, clergy, and commoners meet
- Commoners, third estate, do radical things
4
Q
French Republic
A
- Replaces the Ancienne Regime
- Execute Louis 16, reign of terro under Robbespierre
- Burke is writing during the era of Constitutional monarchy
5
Q
Women’s March of Versialle
A
- 1789 turning point
- 90 years of economic hardship
- Market women wanted access to the grain stores
- Forced L16 back from Versaille to Paris
6
Q
British Response to the French Revolution
A
- The country was divided
- Started very liberal support and then reign of terror pushed people to bad
- Pamphlets, Brit lib is peaceful, Fr is violent
7
Q
Separation of Church and State
A
- Happened in Fr
- Brits are Anglican and that morality left Fr
8
Q
Thomas Payne
A
- UK born and moves to US
- Anti-monarchy, so people assume he’s American
- 1791 published the Rights of Man
- Almost gets arrested in UK, escapes to Fr
- Burke responds to him
9
Q
Burke’s Turn
A
- He flips when he’s 60 as the Fr Rev happens
- Says its too much of a radical shift from the past
- There is no proof their ideas will work
- Father of modern conservativism
10
Q
Burke’s Political Theory
A
- Can’t understand selves in sbstract sense
- We can’t just reson our way to rights
- Tension
- Governing states
- Human nature
11
Q
Burke Tension
A
- Virtues cultivated through success over time
- Morality that we can know and should guide action
12
Q
Governing States
A
- The world is opaque and we have to see what works over time
- Humans are prone to unrest, so if anything sticks it must be good
13
Q
Enlightenment State Governance
A
- Can use reason and observation to determine political organization
- Burke disagrees
14
Q
Human Nature
A
- We only learn through what hasn’t failed
- Can’t just reason our way to answers
15
Q
Glorious Revolution, 1688
A
- Not the same as Fr Rev cause chaos
- Idea that it validates self-gov is misled
- Set a precedent for using abstract ideas of liberty to justify change
- Revolutions should respect traditions - - Conservative shift that preserved order
16
Q
Individual Rights
A
- Dismisses them because they are untested
- Should be contextually revealed through time and history
- Morality allow dignity and justice
17
Q
Liberty
A
- Need tradition to allow freedom from within our societal roles
- What is gained from equality when we are different
- Need things to uphold soc or world is an aimless free for all
18
Q
Three Rights
A
- Choose own government
- Fire them for misconduct
- Frame government for ourselves
19
Q
Things that Uphold Society and Individual Flourishing
A
- Institutions such as social roles
- Property
- Respect for authority
- Only abstract rights exist without these
20
Q
Critique of Liberty
A
- Individual is different than bodies/collectives
- Collectives make it political power
- Individual has it if people make good choices
- Don’t know what collective looks like in practice
21
Q
Gender Roles
A
- Wants clear social boundaries and believes gender roles are necessary for this
22
Q
Social Contract Critique
A
- Soc Con presumes an abstract moment founds political tradition
- Law is not subject to will of the people
- Contract needs to be between living, dead, and yet to be born
- Reverses tacit consent
23
Q
Abstract Moment
A
- We did not rationally choose our roles
- We are here because our system worked
24
Q
Living, Dead, and Yet to be Born
A
- Done through continuity so below does not happen
- People often lose sight of time horizons and make bad choices
25
Q
Tacit Consent
A
- Who do we think we are to upend what has existed and will continue
26
Q
Critics Ask How Is Social Change Possible
A
- Burke says that there are different ways to change society without revolutionary zealotry like Fr Rev
- Has been done historically
27
Q
State Authority
A
- Comes from ancient opinions of ruls and life
- E.g. morality, spirit of religion, etc.
