Burke

by Crawford Brough Macpherson

Book Overview

In this concise yet powerful book, one of the twentieth century's most respected political philosophers presents a controversial reassessment of the political ideas and intellectual legacy of Edmund... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809032503
• ISBN13: 9780809032501
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: Hill & Wang
• Length: 83 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

An excellent introductory study

This short study tries to understand Burke's place in political thought. Macpherson's conclusion is as follows: " We have seen that Burke was both a defender of a traditional heirarchical social and political order and a believer in the necessity of a pure capitalist economic order." The defense of the traditional order is felt of course in his famous attack on the French Revolution . In his long and distinguished parliamentary career Burke was a defender of ' property' but fought for its proper management and use for the greater benefit of all of society. His literary ambitions were central to his life, and his great contribution to aesthetics his essay on the Sublime is still read as part of the literature on the subject today. Macpherson concludes his study with a consideration of Burke's relevance to political philosophy today. His concluding summary is as follows: " Twentieth century democrats, both libral and conservative, share with Burke , the non- democrat, the perception that what is at stake is the legitimitation of a social order, and that this is ultimately a question of moral values. They also share some of Burke's most general moral values. But if they heed Burke's warning about the vital necessity of adjusting principles to concrete circumstances , they must think twice about recruiting him. By his insistence on the importnce of circumstances Burke ruled himself out of court for the late twentieth century." pp.74