Edmund Burke Flashcards
Conservatism
when was he alive?
1729-97
what was his title?
‘Father of Conservatism’
views on revolutions?
liked American revolution- kept established rights
hated French- did not keep any traditions
what did he do?
Whig MP
supported American revolution
defended Irish tenants
advocate of Adam Smith’s free trade
criticised East India Company
most famous work?
‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’ (1790)
before the Terror
what was in his book?
defined tenets of conservative thought: human imperfection/empiricism/tradition/aristocracy/localism/organicism
stressed mankind’s fallibility + tendency to fail
denounced idealistic society French Rev. said it represented- based on utopia (unrealistic)
what is empiricism?
relying on what you can/have experienced + acting accordingly
what is organicism?
natural growth
view of human nature?
pessimistic
not utopian
what did he say about change?
‘change to conserve’- good when based on fact + experience, not theory + idealism
what did he say about French Rev.?
disregarded what was known for a new society based on ‘philosophical abstractions
disregarded history + traditions
what were society + govt. like?
a plant
they had a dynamism beyond reason + planning
so: change had to be cautious + organic
what did he say about equality?
a ruling class was inevitable and desirable
ruling class had to govern in interests of all
noblesse oblige/paternalism
what did he say about structure of govt.
disliked centralised structure
preferred ‘little platoons’- small, diverse + largely autonomous communities
quote about ‘little platoons’
would ‘acknowledge, nurture, and prune…the crooked timber of humanity’
