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Burke & Mill
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Discusses some of the writings of Edmund Burke & John Stuart Mill on liberty, democracy, & government that they delivered in reaction to the French Revolution.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses some of the writings of Edmund Burke & John Stuart Mill on liberty, democracy, & government that they delivered in reaction to the French Revolution.
Paper Introduction:
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, thoug
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He was astatesman and a political thinker, and he was also involved in a disputeover the powers of the crown. Burke's view of the role of the state was in part infused with apessimistic view of human nature and of the need to curtail that nature: Society requires not only that the passions of individuals should be subjected, but that even in the mass and body, as well as in the individuals, the inclinations of men should frequently be thwarted, their will controlled, and their passions brought to subjection (Burke 52).A powerful state was required to accomplish this. Mill admits that many people refuse to recognize the distinctionbetween that part of a person's life that concerns only himself and thatpart which concerns society. He resisted parliamentaryreform while also seeking to curtail royal prerogatives such as theauthorization for the king to appoint and dismiss ministers. He saw strength in the Englishconstitution, which offered continuity and unorganized growth as well as arespect for traditional wisdom. He offered a new justification of party, defined as a body ofmen united on public principle and able to act as a constitutional linkbetween king and Parliament. This also shows that social change isnot only possible but inevitable. Burke later fought against the Revolution in France and demanded waragainst the new state. The King was seekingto assert a more active role for the crown, which had lost influence inearlier times, and to do so without infringing on the limitations of theroyal prerogative set by the revolution settlement. Burke argued thatGeorge's actions were against the spirit of the constitution, though notits letter. Works CitedBurke, Edmund. After the French Revolution, a number of philosophers came to believethat the West was being propelled toward a deep moral crisis, a view thatprevailed for some time and that was based on a perception of diminishingbelief in truth. He has been seen as inconsistent inhis views through his career, though he denied this. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1987.Mill, John Stuart. Edmund Burke was born in the eighteenth century in England. They state that the conduct of one member ofsociety clearly affects the conduct of others and that no one is entirelyisolated. Even if he does not injure others directly, he does so byserving as an example. The fact that theindividual has sovereignty over his own actions until those actions becomeprejudicial to the interests of another, however, means that society has noright to interfere in those actions until they become prejudicial to theinterests of another. However, he saw manners asmore important than laws, which is why the British constitution, anunwritten constitution, was preferable. He was present as a movement began forparliamentary reform as well, including wider political participation insociety, and he supported the latter to a degree, provided that there wasevidence of rationality, restraint of aggressive partiality, and dedicationto the common good. The mere fact that one lives in society means that one isbound to observe certain conduct toward the others in society. Indeed, Mill sees the revolution as anunfortunate but perhaps necessary event, though he is less pleased by whatfollowed or by the disintegration of accepted truth that he sees in his owntime. Millmakes a distinction between that part of one's life that belongsspecifically to the individual and that which belongs to society. Mill emphasizes that it would be wrong to think that his statementthat it is not acceptable to interfere with the decisions of an individualif those decisions do not affect someone else is nothing more than selfishindifference. Burke was closely involved in theconstitutional controversy over George III's reign. The individual is, after all, the person most interested in his ownwelfare. Hesees the French Revolution as a temporary aberration, stating that itbelongs to "a sudden and convulsive outbreak against monarchical andaristocratic despotism" (Mill 7). From the standpoint of society, says Mill, this is alsodesirable because it is preferable that individuals develop themselvesfreely since this enhances society, while having everyone conform does not.The free development of the individual is one of the principal ingredientsof human happiness, and therefore it is a utility for the individual todevelop himself freely as a way of achieving that happiness. Heconsidered the French Revolution an example of breaking that contract. He says that because of the revolution, the normal conceptsof truth and right have been changed: All the pleasing illusions which made power gentle and obedience liberal, which harmonized the different shades of life, and which, by a bland assimilation, incorporated into politics the sentiments which beautify and soften private society, are to be dissolved by this new conquering empire of light and reason (Burke 67). This principle says that each individual sold befree to develop his powers and abilities according to his own will orjudgment as long as he does so in a way that does not interfere with therights of others. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Reflections on the Revolution in France. He suggested aninterpretation of nature and the natural order and thus implied a deeprespect for the historical process. This can be seen in the writings of Edmund Burke and JohnStuart Mill. The firstelement of such conduct is not to injure the interests of one another, andsuch interests should be considered rights; the second is that each personshould bear his share of the labors and sacrifices incurred for defendingsociety or its members. He believed that the French Revolution had broughtabout a devaluation in tradition. The individual whose conduct becomes such as toaffect prejudicially the interests of others may be punished because atthat point society has jurisdiction over such conduct. On Liberty and Other Writings. Burke saw the revolutionin France as a challenge to this assumption, as a case where the people'spassions bubbled over and destroyed the power that was supposed to keepthem in check. Mill further finds that the best way to promote truth in this systemis through the free and unfettered promulgation of ideas, as he notes whendecrying the use of laws against heresy: "But it is the minds of hereticsthat are deteriorated most, by the ban placed on all inquiry which does notend in the orthodox conclusion" (Mill 35). Mill asserts the principle of non-interference where the individual isconcerned, though this applies only to adults and not to children. This assumes that all the people involved are adultsand have the ordinary amount of understanding. When the statesman acts in accordance with theeternal law, tranquility results, just as chaos results when he does not.Burke thought the influence of the crown was too strong and theindependence of the Commons too uncertain. He says it is also wrong to assume that he is saying no oneshould concern themselves about the well-being of another unless their owninterest is involved. Millbases this idea on the self-development of the individual. Burke's writings on France cannot beconsidered a complete statement of his views on politics, and in fact henever gave a systematic exposition of his fundamental beliefs, only raisingthem in relation to specific issues. Mill agrees that the mischief a person does tohimself can affect others, and he finds that it is right to bring to bearmoral disapprobation, Whenever there is a definite damage, the case movesout of the province of liberty and into that of morality or law. Burke found a solution in the social contract, and he extolled thevirtues of a constitution as an agreement not to be broken, an agreementbetween the people and their governing body. What he is saying is that such interest should beexpressed in persuasion and not in compelling behavior or belief. To bringabout these changes, Burke fostered the idea of party, the organization ofparliamentary politicians that would enable their joining together controlparliament and thus to contest certain issues. However, for Burke the scope and therole of thought operating as a reforming instrument on society as a wholeis limited and should act in response to specific tensions or specificpossibilities rather than in large speculative schemes that might interferewith the stable, habitual life of society Burke saw history as governedby an "eternal law" which he said could be discerned in both history andChristian revelation. John Stuart Mill also emphasizes a form of the social contract. Mill's reasons for taking this view begin with the fact that there isa tacit agreement between society and the individual that because theindividual receives the protection of society, he or she owes a return forthis benefit. He does notbase this idea on any sense that there is a natural right on the part ofthe individual to develop himself freely, and instead he bases it on theprinciple of utility. Burke continued to work for the curtailmentof the powers of the crown.
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