Burke And The French Revolution Studies

Burke was an important statesman, orator and political thinker of 18th century Britain. Burke had built up his reputation on the defence of the rights of parliament and in supporting the underdog. He had done this over issues in America, India, Ireland and the rights of Catholics, particularly in Ireland. However, the French Revolution in 1789 gave Burke his greatest target. He expressed his hostility in Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790). He asserted that events in France would lead to conflict and bloodshed and that wars would result from the Revolution, ending in the establishment of a military dictatorship. Burke emphasised the dangers of mob rule, fearing that the Revolution's foggy fervour was destroying French society and appealed to the English virtues of continuity, tradition, rank and property. Burke did not oppose reform per se. He believed in organic reform and organic growth: that is, natural evolution. He had no time for drastic revolution. He opposed rapid, uncontrolled change, as was happening in France, particularly since the demolition of the Ancient Regime was in the hands of amateurs who had little or no political expertise. Burke championed conservatism in opposition to Revolutionary France. Burke's insights into the limited role of reason in the social process became nothing less than a cornerstone of the Burkeian conservatism.