JOHN LOCKE AND EDUMOND BURKE

John Locke and Edumond Burke

John Locke and Edumond Burke

Introduction

This paper aims to explore and enlighten two historic personalities; Edmund Burke and John Locke. The core objective of the paper is to discuss these personalities in the context of French revolution and contrast the divergence in the approaches followed by these individuals. Edmund Burke was born in Dublin on January 12th 1729. Burke was a writer and politician; moreover, several sources assert that his political thoughts supported liberalism. Nonetheless, Burke is also considered as the father of liberalism-conservatism by the British that are categorized as old liberals; however, progressive liberals disregard this conception. Burke was a liberal personality and a political figure that comprised great number of followers; moreover, there were several individuals that opposed Burke due to reluctance in support to French Revolution despite of his claim for liberalism.

On the other hand John Locke was an English philosopher and an exponent of rational liberalism. Locke spent a number of years in exile in Holland in an atmosphere of freedom not found in England. One of his important legacies was the publication of Two Treatises of Government (1690), which was widely seen as a justification for the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in England, and which explains the formation of the state by a social contract based on the consent of the governed. Locke believed that rational people formed the state through a social contract that also obligated the government to its citizens. The government provided the mechanisms for rational conflict management through legislative, executive, and judicial functions. The support of Locke is also acknowledged during the French revolution; however, there is a slight degree of variation in the frame of mind governed by Burke and Locke.

Edmund Burke in Context of French Revolution

In 1787 the chamber presented the case against Hastings, which earned the subsequent process. In addition, the case increased Burke's differences with Charles James Fox which accentuated in February 1790, the time Burke published his Reflections on the French Revolution. Burke hindered the revolution which reasoned for his disagreement with his old friend. During this era, Burke proposed a framework (epistemology of politics) which was a model of political empiricism (Crafton, 1997, 67-78). This framework rejected the scant respect for the legal tradition of the contemporary principles emanating from the French Revolution, which seemed too abstract and inconsiderate for individual cases.

Burke worked from 1765-1766 as a private secretary to Lord Rockingham, the first treasure holder. Throughout his political career Burke was in London as a member of the Federation of Free Masons. His lodge was the Jerusalem Lodge No. 44. Since 1765 Burke was Member of Parliament for various constituencies of the British House of Commons. Burke distinguished himself as an astute thinker and a brilliant orator. The publication issued by Burke during the French revolution proved to be hugely influential text which was acknowledged by entire Europe and encouraged by European rulers (Schwab, Jeanneney, 1995, 89-96).

The incidents occurring due to French Revolution are unacceptable as ...