More thoughtful reflections by Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Irish politician, author, political theorist, a Whig who supported the
American Revolution
Take a minute and read Edmund Burke’s 18th century disquisition
(below) on the political and social foundations of government and human
society.
He outlines the conditions for a successful civil society, very
unselfconsciously, I think, without realizing that he is clarifying the
principal reasons that civil society can never be really successful.
Burke acknowledges the need for “moral chains” to curb human appetites,
and suppress human “rapacity,” and ignore “the flattery of knaves.”
His conception of the “men of intemperate minds” expresses clearly the
systemic defect in our popular conception of modern democracy.
Sadly, there aren’t enough men of good will to permanently overcome the
debilitating effects of the widespread lack of self-imposed civic obligation to
nurture the common good, as well as personal benefits and prejudices.
“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact
proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites, —
in proportion as their love to justice is above their rapacity, — in proportion
as their soundness and sobriety of understanding is above their vanity and
presumption, — in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the
counsels of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves."
Edmund Burke, 1791
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