Edmund Burke and the Anglo-American Tradition of Liberty

2006 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 213-230
Author(s):  
João Carlos Espada
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Empty Stomach ◽  
Edmund Burke ◽  
Western Philosophy ◽  
Royal Institute ◽  
Conservative Revolution ◽  
American Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
Anglo American

It is proper for more reasons than the most obvious one that I should open this talk by quoting a former President of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, Lord Quinton, whose works on political philosophy I have so much enjoyed—and learnt from.In a chapter on political philosophy, which he contributed to the Oxford History of Western Philosophy, Lord Quinton says that ‘the effect of the importation of Locke's doctrines in to France was much like that of alcohol in an empty stomach’. In Britain, Lord Quinton adds, Locke's principles ‘served to endorse a largely conservative revolution against absolutist innovation’, whereas in France the importation of Locke's ideas would lead to the radicalism of the French revolution. Why was this so?

Edmund Burke and the Anglo-American Tradition of Liberty

2006 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 213-230
Author(s):  
João Carlos Espada
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Edmund Burke ◽  
Royal Institute ◽  
American Tradition ◽  
Anglo American

It is proper for more reasons than the most obvious one that I should open this talk by quoting a former President of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, Lord Quinton, whose works on political philosophy I have so much enjoyed—and learnt from.

scholarly journals What is conservatism? History, ideology and party

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Bourke
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Edmund Burke ◽  
Karl Mannheim ◽  
Conservative Ideology ◽  
History Of ◽  
The French Revolution

Is there a political philosophy of conservatism? A history of the phenomenon written along sceptical lines casts doubt on the existence of a transhistorical doctrine, or even an enduring conservative outlook. The main typologies of conservatism uniformly trace its origins to opposition to the French Revolution. Accordingly, Edmund Burke is standardly singled out as the ‘father’ of this style of politics. Yet Burke was de facto an opposition Whig who devoted his career to assorted programmes of reform. In restoring Burke to his original milieu, the argument presented here takes issue with 20th-century accounts of conservative ideology developed by such figures as Karl Mannheim, Klaus Epstein and Samuel Huntington. It argues that the idea of a conservative tradition is best seen as a belated construction, and that the notion of a univocal philosophy of conservatism is basically misconceived.

Jus Tempus in the Magna Carta: The Sovereignty of Time in Modern Politics and Citizenship

2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (03) ◽  
pp. 463-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth F. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
The Political ◽  
Place Of Birth ◽  
Political Status ◽  
Modern Politics ◽  
American Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
The Right ◽  
Constitutional Tradition

In the English constitutional tradition, subjecthood has been primarily derived from two circumstances: place of birth and time of birth. People not born in the right place and at the right time are not considered subjects. What political status they hold varies and depends largely on the political history of the territory in which they reside at the exact time of their birth. A genealogy of early modern British subjecthood reveals that law based on dates and temporal durations—what I will call collectivelyjus tempus—creates sovereign boundaries as powerful as territorial borders or bloodlines. This concept has myriad implications for how citizenship comes to be institutionalized in modern politics. In this article, I briefly outline one route through whichjus tempusbecame a constitutive principle within the Anglo-American tradition of citizenship and how this concept works with other principles of membership to create subtle gradations of semi-citizenship beyond the binary of subject and alien. I illustrate two main points aboutjus tempus: first, how specific dates create sovereign boundaries among people and second, how durational time takes on an abstract value in politics that allows certain kinds of attributes, actions, and relationships to be translated into rights-bearing political statuses. I conclude with some remarks about how, once established, the principle ofjus tempusis applied in a diverse array of political contexts.

scholarly journals Notebook

Philosophy ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-151
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Academic Progress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Philosophical Logic ◽  
Royal Institute ◽  
Postgraduate Study ◽  
History Of ◽  
One Year ◽  
Academic Year

Royal Institute of Philosophy BursariesThe Royal Institute of Philosophy proposes to make available annually four bursaries of £1,000 each, to be awarded to students who are already on courses of postgraduate study (e.g. MA, MPhil, PhD, DPhil, BPhil) in British Universities.The aim of the scheme is to assist students of promise and of proven postgraduate ability to continue or complete their courses of study or dissertations. Each Bursary will last for one year and will not be renewable, although successful candidates from one year will be able to re-apply for a second bursary in a succeeding year (to a maximum of two bursaries in toto).In order to apply, a candidate must submit a CV, a 1-2 page account of his or her future research and/or programme of study and the names of two academic referees from the institution at which he or she is currently studying. At the end of their tenure of a bursary, successful candidates will be expected to make a report to the Royal Institute of Philosophy on their academic progress.Candidates will not normally be called for interview. In making the awards, the Royal Institute of Philosophy will attempt to select one candidate annually from each of the following subdivisions of philosophy:1. Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Science2. Philosophical Logic, Philosophies of Mind and Language3. Moral and Political Philosophy4. Aesthetics, Philosophy of Religion, Law and History (These areas may be treated by reference to the History of Philosophy).The bursaries will run from the beginning to the end of the academic year and will begin in September 1998. Those who wish to apply for the 1998-99 awards should submit their applications by 1 May, 1998 to the Secretary, Royal Institute of Philosophy, 14, Gordon Square, London WC1H 0AG. Those applying will be notified of the decision of the Royal Institute of Philosophy in July, 1998.

Life and Works

2019 ◽  
pp. 3-27
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
David Hume ◽  
John Locke ◽  
George Washington ◽  
John Adams ◽  
James I ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
Before And After ◽  
History Of

This biographical introduction begins with the formation of Catharine Macaulay’s political ideas from when, as Catharine Sawbridge, she lived at the family estate. It follows her through her mature development as the celebrated female historian, to her death in 1791, as Mrs. Macaulay Graham. It notes the influence on her of writings of John Milton, Algernon Sidney, and John Locke as well as other republican works. It covers her marriage to the physician and midwife George Macaulay, and sets out the circumstances which led to the composition, and influence of, her History of England from the Accession of James I (HEAJ). The content of her histories, political philosophy, ethical and educational views, and criticisms of the philosophers David Hume, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Edmund Burke are sketched, and it is argued that her enlightenment radicalism was grounded in Christian eudaimonism, resulting in a form of rational altruism, according to which human happiness depends on the cultivation of the self as a moral individual. It deals with her engagement with individuals in North America before and after the American Revolution, in particular her exchanges with, John Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Benjamin Rush, and George Washington, and also recounts her contacts with influential players in the French Revolution, in particular, Jacques-Pierre Brissot de Warville and Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti count of Mirabeau. The introduction concludes with her influence on Mary Wollstonecraft and an overview of her mature political philosophy as summarized in her response to Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France.

Integrating African Philosophy into the Western Philosophy Curriculum

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-43
Author(s):  
Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Ancient Philosophy ◽  
Western Philosophy ◽  
African Philosophy ◽  
The West ◽  
History Of

In the last three years, there has been a worldwide increase in integrating African philosophy into the philosophy curricula. Nevertheless, given that African philosophy has been largely neglected by Western academia, many philosophers in the West who do wish to integrate it are unaware of how to do it. This article aims at addressing this issue by offering some recommendations on how to integrate African philosophy into the curricula. Particularly, it offers recommendations based on how the history of ancient philosophy, metaphilosophy, ethics and political philosophy have become integrated. Additionally, there is a recommendation for how to make an entirely new module based on African political philosophy.

scholarly journals From Paine to PlayStation

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 44-57
Author(s):  
Andrey Mintchev
Keyword(s):  
French Revolution ◽  
Edmund Burke ◽  
Historical Narratives ◽  
Alexis De Tocqueville ◽  
Thomas Paine ◽  
Invaluable Tool ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cinematic Experience ◽  
Historical Accounts ◽  
The French Revolution

In Assassin’s Creed Unity, the historical narratives of Thomas Paine, Edmund Burke, Alexis de Tocqueville, François Furet, and Peter McPhee are presented in a way that capitalizes on the virtual and tangible characteristics of gaming. By isolating the historical accounts of the French Revolution, Ubisoft Entertainment has created a stimulating and cinematic experience that challenges the unwavering pedagogy of French historiography. Due to the nature of videogames, Assassin’s Creed Unity serves as a gateway to understanding the French Revolution through the immersive qualities of simulation. The game safely navigates around the historicity of the event by recreating the vibrant landscapes of Paris and filling its streets with believable characters, models, player-driven decisions, and a historically-rich narrative. To this effect, Assassin’s Creed Unity inevitably collides with the opinions of several historians in a way that passively educates its audience on the overall history of 1790's France—making the game an invaluable tool for learning about the French Revolution. 

Moving Beyond Law: Interdisciplinarity and the Study of Evidence

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM TWINING
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual History ◽  
Focus Of Attention ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Integrated Science ◽  
Interdisciplinary Work ◽  
General Field ◽  
American Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
Formed Part

This chapter examines critically both the idea of ‘a multidisciplinary field’ or ‘an integrated science’ of evidence, and scepticism about and resistance to this idea from the standpoint of a jurist who has been involved with interdisciplinary work on evidence in law for many years. The chapter is organized as follows. Part I presents an overview of the intellectual history of the academic study of evidence in law in the Anglo‐American tradition and shows how important aspects of the field came to be recognised as inherently multidisciplinary. Part II identifies some limitations of legal perspectives on evidence, especially when the focus is on contested trials. It recounts the story of attempts to move beyond law in the direction of constructing a general field of evidence that formed part of the background of the UCL programme. Part III examines some of the reasons for suspicion of and resistance to the idea of ‘an integrated science of evidence’. Part IV restates the case for recognition and institutionalisation of evidence as a special focus of attention at the present time and puts forward a personal agenda of general questions that still need to be tackled.

The Theater of the Civilized Self: Edmund Burke and the East India Trials

2002 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siraj Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Edmund Burke ◽  
Early Modern History ◽  
Sentimental Fiction ◽  
The Public ◽  
Private Interests ◽  
House Of Lords ◽  
The Face ◽  
History Of

IN FEBRUARY 1788 EDMUND BURKE OPENED the impeachment of Warren Hastings, the East India Company's first Governor-General, for the crimes that his administration had committed in India with a four-day-long speech before the House of Lords, and London's fashionable society bought tickets as if attending theater. Referred to as ''the greatest public sensation of the seventeen-eighties, ''the impeachment brought more attention than any other contemporary event to the complicated relationships of the British nation-state and its young empire in India and, more broadly, of the principles of civil society and the early modern history of imperialism. Burke's Indian speeches constitute a much longer and more intense engagement with the fundamental question that he believed the French Revolution also posed: would the modern civil society that the late eighteenth century was clearly in the process of shaping subordinate the private interests of commerce to the public virtues of landed wealth, thereby preserving national progress, or would it subordinate property to the unchecked power of capitalism, thereby making the merchant's private ethic the basis of the nation's public life and precipitating national degeneration? While the Reflections on the Revolution in France claim that the civil self is the product of national traditions, Burke's speeches and writings on British India suggest that the civil self is in fact merely a performance that masks degeneracy. Indeed, Burke's performance in the impeachment, with its own exaggerated theatricality, represented the very basis of civil society, sympathy, in terms of a set of unmistakably legible signs. Burke assumed the role of a character easily recognizable to his fashionable audience, the male protagonist of sentimental fiction, unable to control his emotions in the face of women's suffering. His very theatricality suggested that the basis of civil society lies neither in reason nor in historical development, but rather in social mimicry, giving the lie to his own theory of civil progress.

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