Edmund Burke

Question 1

He was known as

Answer 1

The father of conservatism

Question 2

Key text

Answer 2

“Reflections on the Revolution in France” - an attack on the Revolution and its ideas.

Question 3

Human nature

Answer 3

Believes in human imperfection, gap between what people wanted and what they could achieve.

Question 4

Society - organicism

Answer 4

Burke saw society as being like a plant

Change had to be careful and its direction was unclear

Important to stick to traditions

Question 5

Society - empiricism

Answer 5

Look at society in terms of the reality of what it is, rather than the ideals of how it should be.

Localism - society made up of “little platoons”

Question 6

Society

Answer 6

Supported the existence of elites in society

Dismissed equality but said those at the top were responsible for those below.

Question 7

State

Answer 7

Disliked centralisation of the French state preferring his ‘little platoons’. He argued that the state like society was organic, dismissing the idea of creating an ideal state and removing traditions and history.

Question 8

Economy

Answer 8

Supporter of Adam Smith and free market economics.