Virtual Representation Theory Of Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke(1729-1797)is an important ideologist in the intellectual history of western political thought,who is known as the “Father of Conservatism”.Virtual Representation is the core content of Burke's representative theory,and it is also a significant portion of the theoretical pedigree of Representation.It is of great academic significance to understand the representative government and party politics in the western history.At present,no matter in western academic circles or domestic academic circles,there are few research achievements on Virtual Representation,and the existing research also lacks backward narration,failing to fully explain the academic value and political influence of Burke's representative system thought.This study attempts to take the research method of historical faction's “contextualism” of the Cambridge historical school as the way forward.In a more authentic historical context framework,this paper analyzes and comments on Edmund Burke's theory of Virtual Representation,and demonstrates the basic thinking behind Burke's system of Virtual Representation.That is,Burke places hope on the virtual representative,maintaining the balance between monarchy,aristocracy and common people,to defend the tradition of British constitutional system and solve the political and economic crisis at home and abroad.In the first chapter,a systematic literature review is carried out,and the definition and theoretical pedigree of representation are briefly sorted out.To review the research on Burke's political thought at home and abroad;this research also analyzes and summarizes the current research on Burke's Virtual Representation.In the second chapter,it takes “contextualism” as the research approach to investigate the system of Virtual Representation.Burke lived in a time of “parliamentary crisis” under King George?.In the American colonies,there was a constitutional crisis.On a practical level,Burke is under pressure to run for congress in Bristol.These situations are closely related to the problem of “representation”,which prompts Burke to think more deeply about the theory of representation.In the third chapter,some basic elements of Burke's thought of Virtual Representation are investigated.According to Burke,the best candidate for the virtual representative is the natural aristocracy,while the relationship between the representative and the voters is a trusteeship.The political concept embodied by the virtual representative is closely related to Burke's view on party.These elements combine Virtual Representation with the issue of British constitutional system,consistent with Burke's emphasis on maintaining the balance between monarch,aristocracy and commoner and safeguarding the British constitutional tradition.In the fourth chapter,the significance and enlightenment of Virtual Representation are discussed.First of all,the system of Virtual Representation had an important influence on the debate about representation in the independent period of North America and the constitutional period of the United States.In addition,this paper attempts to respond to the views of Hanna Fenichel Pitkin and Zhang Fujian on substantive representative system,to comment on the important influence of Virtual Representative system on British parliamentary politics,and to explore the significance and enlightenment of Virtual Representative system.