| Edmund Burke is a famous British political thinker in the 18 th century.He is recognized as the originator of modern western conservatism.He was also known as the greatest figure in the history of British political thought.Throughout previous studies,most of them believe that Burke is a conservative,and a few believe that he is a liberal.In fact,the core of Burke’s political thought is freedom.At the same time,it emphasizes social order and opposes radical change,which has a distinct conservative tendency.Therefore,it is more accurate to position Burke’s political thought as conservative liberalism.In addition,conservatism in our traditional discourse means maintaining the status quo and stagnating,but Burke’s political thought is not the case.It also advocates gradual reform.Therefore,it is necessary to make a systematic study of Burke’s political thought in order to accurately grasp his ideas and obtain some useful enlightenment.The development of British Industrial Revolution and capitalist industry and commerce,the expansion of British kingship and the outbreak of the French Revolution,the rise of the European Enlightenment and the spread of continental rationalism,aristocracy and religion play an important role in British society,which are the historical background for the formation of Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought.Aristotle’s political theory and Cicero’s natural law thought,medieval scholasticism and theology,British common law and constitutional thought,and British empiricism philosophy are the ideological origins of Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought.In addition,Burke opposed the supremacy of reason,advocated practical experience and respected historical tradition,which constituted the philosophical basis of his conservative liberalism.Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought is mainly reflected in three aspects:value,system and behavior.At the value level,it includes the "conservative" concept of freedom.Burke defined the scope and specific content of freedom,emphasizing that freedom inherits from tradition,exists in the real society and takes order as the premise.At the institutional level,it includes the view of the state,the view of political parties and the view of constitutionalism.Burke explained the origin of the state with the theory of "inter-generational contract",regarded religion as the foundation of modern civil society,believed that "natural aristocracy" had the most qualifications to rule the country,and advocated a representative government composed of elites;Burke believes that political parties take safeguarding national interests as the priority principle,which can play a role in uniting members and restricting kingship;Burke highly praised the British constitutional system and believed that constitutional government could effectively limit the expansion of government power.At the behavioral level,it includes a prudent and progressive view of reform.Burke did not blindly keep the tradition and refuse any change,but he was more inclined to reform than revolution,and advocated a prudent attitude towards reform and a gradual approach to reform.Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought laid a value foundation for the development of conservatism in later generations,revised the radical rationalism of the enlightenment,and inspired profound thinking on the relationship between freedom and democracy.Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought also has some limitations,mainly as follows: advocating aristocracy and hierarchy and belittling the ability of the people;Exaggerating the role of tradition and not distinguishing the different components of tradition;Did not deeply realize the great role of revolution in promoting the development of history.Of course,Burke’s conservative liberalism political thought also has certain value.It inspires us to protect individual freedom according to law,correctly understand and treat tradition,and prudently carry out political reform. |
