Edmund Burke was a British politician and a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1765-94. The book was written by Jesse Norman a British MP. Norman argues that Burke was a conservative in the modern sense. However, British conservatives are different from American conservatives. Margaret Thatcher believed in universal healthcare. The book provides a good overview of Burke's career and political philosophy. It is also easy to read.
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was born in Dublin, his father was a successful lawyer. In 1750 Burke moved to London after graduating from Trinity College, Dublin. He initially studied law but gave it up to become a writer. Burke entered parliament in 1765 and was viewed as a great orator. His maiden speech was praised by the prime minister, William Pitt. He impressed other great minds of his time, like Samuel Johnson and Adam Smith. Burke became a public intellectual and gave his opinions on the great issues of the day.
The book is divided into two parts. The first is biographical. The second examines Burke’s political philosophy. Norman tends to make exaggerated claims for Burke. He writes that “Edmund Burke is both the greatest and most underrated political thinker of the past 300 years.” Burke was a maverick who never became a cabinet minister. He would often disagree with the leaders of his own party. Norman admits that Burke's political career, with only two years holding public office, "was largely one of failure."
Burke was a member of the Whig party, which later morphed into the Liberal party. The conservative party of Burke's day was called the Tory party. Until the 20th century, Burke was considered a liberal. Burke believed that politicians should help the whole of society including the poor. He believed in the common good, public service, and public duty. He believed in tradition and that a social contract existed between the dead, the living and those not yet born.
Burke quickly established a reputation as an expert on economics, and he was the first great English parliamentarian to preach free trade. He described Adam Smith's “The Wealth of Nations” as “perhaps the most important book ever written.” Burke and Smith were friends and they agreed on economic policy. Burke believed that religion was the foundation of civil society. He was an Anglican who criticized deism and atheism and emphasized Christianity as a vehicle of social progress.
Burke detested the abuse of power. He defended the American revolution because he believed the Americans were getting a raw deal. He was opposed to British imperialism in Ireland and India. He didn’t believe in military adventures overseas. He opposed the oppression of Catholics in Ireland, his mother was a Catholic. He tried to impeach Warren Hastings the governor-general of Bengal who worked for the British East India Company. Burke criticized the company's greed and its exploitation of the Indian people. He also criticized the slave trade, capital punishment, and the opium trade.
Burke did not believe that everybody should have the vote because the government of the country required a degree of education that the common people of his day lacked. He believed that ordinary people could be exploited by demagogues and led astray. This could lead to violence and the oppression of unpopular minorities. The Founding Fathers shared similar fears. The U.S. Constitution contains elaborate checks and balances to prevent the majority from oppressing the minority. Wealthy American landowners feared the mob. The universal franchise was not introduced immediately. In 1789, voting was restricted to property-owning or tax-paying white males. This group represented about 6% of the population.
Burke was horrified by the French Revolution and the anarchy brought about by mob rule. His pamphlet “Reflections on the Revolution in France” criticized the revolution’s methods and goals. It is also a defense of traditional life. Their great error, he argued, was to think that one could overhaul the social order according to the dictates of reason and abstract values like equality or liberty. Burke anticipated the "reign of terror" and the rule of a dictator like Robespierre. Many aristocrats, including the French king and queen, were publicly executed. The mob turned on Robespierre and he was executed in 1794. Napoleon Bonaparte became a despot in 1799 and tried to spread France's revolutionary ideals across Europe through warfare. Europe was at war until Napoleon was imprisoned in 1815.
Burke believed in parliamentary sovereignty. He distrusted the will of the people. He believed MPs were meant to act in the national interest. He opposed the notion that elected officials should merely be delegates. He believed that MPs were entitled to impose their own superior opinions on voters.
A similar debate is playing out in Britain today over Brexit. The people voted for Brexit in a referendum and MPs have been trying to ignore the result, supposedly in the national interest. Ironically, the MPs who invoke Burke to justify their opposition to Brexit, forget that he believed in the nation-state. He would have opposed the EU because “a project which ultimately seeks to abolish national allegiances and identities is likely to fail.” A similar debate is playing out across the West with voters becoming disillusioned with political parties who increasingly ignore their views, supposedly in the national interest. This dissatisfaction has manifested itself in the rise of populism.
Much of Burke’s political philosophy is still relevant today. People are better educated today than they were in the 18th century so perhaps they don’t need politicians to interpret their best interests. I enjoyed the book.
Enjoy fast, FREE delivery, exclusive deals and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Frequently bought together
$32.96
Get it as soon as Friday, Aug 18
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
What do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
C. E. Utley
The first conservative?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2013
FictionFan
There is such a thing as society...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2015
