Abstract
An essay which compares the political philosophy of Edmund Burke with that of his leading critic, Thomas Paine. It argues that Burke's philosophy was less a reaction to the French Revolution than an idealization of the English constitution which was created for the purpose of disarming those in England who might have drawn upon revolutionary principles to foster change at home. Paine's philosophy is distinguished from Burke's chiefly by the fact that it takes a much more critical attitude to the past.

From the Paper
"Yet as praise for Burke's philosophy seems detached from any particular enthusiasm for the late 18th-century English state, it seems that Burke's political philosophy is routinely analyzed in a way that completely abstracts it from the political order it was intended to eulogize and exempt from further change. The problem with this abstract approach is that it bestows upon Burke's philosophy the power to legitimize any political order simply because it has subsisted into a venerable old age. In other words, if the Third Reich had lasted a thousand years, it would also be entitled to similar esteem as the fruit of generations of human wisdom. It is hard, however, to see the genuine wisdom in a philosophy which blithely ratifies the past, without developing clear criteria to distinguish between the parts which might be allowed to continue to subsist without harm, and those which will only yield harm if left uncorrected."

Tags:Reflections, Revolution, France, Whig, 18th-century, Common, Sense

Abstract
This paper reviews parts of Edmund Burke's speech where he advises England to allow the American colonies their liberty. The paper highlights that this was going against the political beliefs in Britain at the time. The paper then attempts to show that Burke was also showing his intelligence as a leader, philosopher and truly honorable diplomat in this speech.

From the Paper
"When Burke states that the British Empire as "an empire so great" he quickly qualifies that by saying the Empire is also "so distracted," a pivotal key to the thrust of his remarks. He knew the British Empire could not possibly sustain all their global holdings, properties, and resources at the level that they once controlled them as a colonial power.
"He admits that even a "genius" would have a hard time keeping the empire together; and he admits to "struggling a good while" until his thoughts began to jell, and he expresses the belief that he has come to a profound grasp of the moment, albeit he is just one man. He uses his customary skillfully crafted rhetoric to cajole the Parliament, saying that if what he is proposing would be "futile or dangerous" or poorly constructed, he wouldn't bother. But bother he does, and will, when it comes to his simple proposition - "peace.""

Tags:colonies, liberty, British, Empire, Revolutionary, War

From the Paper
"The Limitation of Revolution

Introduction
As a member of the House of Parliament, and heir to the traditions of English Common Law, Edmund Burke (1729-1793) may have seen the French Revolution as an alien and indifferent political force moving his times, disrupting what he knew to be a sure and comforting way of life. It is not odd that the language used in Reflections on the Revolution in France is full of pleas for sane behavior and references to English Parliamentary procedure, being connected to ancient and correct institutions. This paper shall illustrate Edmund Burke's objections to the French Revolution, and hence the limitations of all revolution that is not somehow linked with traditional rule (Beatty & Johnson, 1995)."

From the Paper
"Edmund Burke was born in the eighteenth century. He was a statesman and a political thinker. His views on government have been cited by conservative thinkers. For Burke, government should ideally be a cooperative, mutually restraining relation of rulers to subjects, with an attachment to tradition and the ways of the past to the degree possible but also with a recognition of the fact of change and the need for a comprehensive and discriminating response to it. Burke fought against the Revolution in France and demanded war against the new state. He believed that the French Revolution had brought about a devaluation in tradition. He saw strength in the English constitution, which offered continuity and unorganized growth as well as a respect for traditional wisdom. He suggested an interpretation of nature and the natural order and thus implied a ... "

Abstract
This paper reviews and discusses the Edmund Burke's conciliation speech. According to the paper, Edmund Burke's speech urges Parliament to adopt a more sensible approach to the colonies to ensure not only peace but political and economic obeisance. The paper reports that Burke believed that conciliation with the colonies would help Britain prosper and continue their dominion on both sides of the Atlantic.

From the Paper
"Furthermore, Burke points out that disputes with the colonies are causing Britain to become "distracted" from its political and economic goals. Those goals not only include peace, order and "repose" but also imperial strength and integrity. Burke appeals to the British desire for colonial expansion, with all the political and economic benefits derived from it. His concern for the well-being of the colonies themselves is rooted solely in the view that the colonies were British by birth and should remain British in character and loyalty. The British colonies were pushing for greater liberty, manifest in self-governance and independence from the Crown. Burke argues that avowing colonial independence will lead to greater trust and further political cohesion between the New and Old Worlds. He criticizes "the labyrinth of intricate and endless negotiations" that Parliament had been engaging in with the colonies."

Tags:liberty, colonies, freedom, political, economic, goals, Parliament, crown

Abstract
This paper takes a look at two proponents of the French revolution, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Edmund Burke, their background, their achievements and their views on the revolution. Rousseau and Burke both supported the revolution, but for different reasons. This paper discusses their similarities and their differences.

Contents:
Rousseau
Burke
Conclusions

From the Paper
"According to Rousseau, society's negative effect on generally good men focuses on society's mutation of "amour de soi," a positive self-love, into "amour-propre," or pride. Rousseau argued that amour de soi generates the instinctive human desire for self-preservation, in conjunction with the uniquely human power of reason. To differentiate, amour-propre is not natural but artificial and forces man to compare himself to others, thus creating unwarranted fear and allowing men to take pleasure in the pain or weakness of others. Revolution for Rousseau, however, as an essential force to combat the negative influences of society stems from amour de soi, so it is pure in Rousseau's eyes.
In his work "Discourse on the Arts and Sciences" Rousseau touched on a different angle associated with revolution. Rousseau asserted that the arts and sciences had not been a boon at all to mankind, because both studies were advanced not in response to human needs but as the result of pride and vanity - amour proper. Also, the opportunities arts and sciences engendered for idleness and luxury led directly and continue to lead directly to the corruption of man. Rousseau wrote in "Discourse on the Arts and Sciences" that the evolution of knowledge had rendered governments increasingly powerful and had destroyed individual liberty. Rousseau determined that corporeal progress had actually undermined the possibility of sincere friendship, replacing it with jealousy, fear and suspicion - more evidence of amour proper."

Tags:Social, Contract, society, Inequality, Whig, party, A, Philosophical, Enquiry

Abstract
This paper compares the writings and philosophies of Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine, as detailed in their respective works "Reflections on the Revolution in France" and "Rights of Man". Both books explore the foundations and obligations of the citizen and his government. The author of this paper maintains that Paine's piece is superior, particular since it was written in many ways as a rebuttal to Burke's. This paper details the philosophers' perspectives on several parallel issues, concluding that Paine's argument that the power lays with the people is more compelling than Burke's justification of the ruling class.

From the Paper
"Let us look at how they tackle the origins of the rights of man, and in so doing, we will be able to analyze the argumentative style of each author and compare them. Burke contends that the people of England are unjustified in any gripe they might have with Parliament, for as he sees it, the government established that the people of England were subordinate to the government for all time. According to Burke, a 17th century Parliament that declared English citizens to be loyal and subordinate to Parliament denies the people the right in his present time to complain. "The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, do, in the name of the people aforesaid" (meaning the people of England then living) "most humbly and faithfully submit themselves, their heirs and posterities, for EVER." Burke cites this as evidence for why any talk of revolution is ridiculous, out of place, and irresponsible."

Tags:political, though, citizen, rights, obligation, European, English, philosophers, self, determination

Abstract
This paper discusses philosopher Edmund Burke's views on the sublime as presented in "A Philosophical Treatise on the Nature of the Beautiful and the Sublime." The paper discusses Burke's four causal categories of distinction for his rational classification of the beautiful and the sublime.

From the Paper
"Philosophy Edmund Burke's views on the beautiful and the sublime in "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful" represents the philosopher's attempt to divide the beautiful and the sublime into two rational classifications. Using the formulation of classical Greek philosophers for causation, Burke posits a formal, material efficient and final cause for both the beautiful and the sublime that separates them into rational categories. In Burke's view the beautiful is distinct from the sublime in a number of ways. Conventional measures ..."

Tags:God, Satan, power, smallness, vastness, fear, love, passion, divine, compelling

From the Paper
"The following examines the ideological perspectives of Sir Thomas More and Edmund Burke. More was considered a humanist, while Burke has been viewed as an important figure in the development of conservative political thought.


Sir Thomas More, also known as Saint Thomas More (because of sanctification by the Catholic Church) is probably best known for his confrontation with King Henry VIII, for which he lost his life. He was a statesman as well as a political and social philosopher. His most famous work is his Utopia, a book in which he created his version of a perfect society and gave his name to such conceptions ever after as "utopias." The word is of Greek origin, a play on the Greek word eutopos, meaning good place. In the book, More describes a pagan and communist city-state in which the institutions and policies are governed entirely by..."

Tags:PHILOSOPHY: GENERAL

From the Paper
"After the French Revolution, a number of philosophers came to believe that the West was being propelled toward a deep moral crisis, a view that prevailed for some time and that was based on a perception of diminishing belief in truth. This can be seen in the writings of Edmund Burke and John Stuart Mill.
Edmund Burke was born in the eighteenth century in England. He was a statesman and a political thinker, and he was also involved in a dispute over the powers of the crown. Burke was closely involved in the constitutional controversy over George III's reign. The King was seeking to assert a more active role for the crown, which had lost influence in earlier times, and to do so without infringing on the limitations of the royal prerogative set by the revolution settlement. Burke argued that George's actions were against the spirit of the constitution, (...)"