Reflections on the Revolution in France

by Burke, Edmund

• ISBN13: 9780804742054
• ISBN10: 0804742057
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-01
• Publisher: Stanford Univ Pr

Summary

The French Revolution is a defining moment in world history, and usually it has been first approached by English-speaking readers through the picture painted of it by Edmund Burke. Reflections on the Revolution in France is a classic work in a range of fields from history through political science to literature, and securely holds its place among the canon of "great books." Yet its meaning is still contested and often misunderstood, equally by those who wish to admire or to denigrate Burke for his present-day relevance. This edition aims to locate Burke once again in his contemporary political and intellectual setting. Alone among recent versions, it reprints the text of the first edition of the Reflections, and shows how Burke amended it as his knowledge of the Revolution deepened. It is certain to become the standard edition for scholars and students alike. The editor's Introduction is much more extensive than that of any previous edition. It situates the Reflections in Burke's life and the development of his ideas, the history of English political thought, the debate about the French Revolution, and the debate the book itself inspired. But the Introduction is more than a compendium of information; it is a thoughtful, coherent interpretation of Burke and his book. The editor's notes are also fuller than those of any previous edition, glossing many literary and biblical allusions missed by previous editors. He also supplies an extended note on the text, a biographical guide, and a bibliography, helpfully presented in discursive form.

Author Biography

J. C. D. Clark is the author of several books, including English Society, 1660-1832 and The Language of Literature, 1660-1832.

Table of Contents

Preface	11	(2)
Abbreviations	13	(4)
Chronological Table	17	(6)
Introduction	23	(1)
The identity of Edmund Burke	23	(15)
The Revolution of 1688	38	(5)
Burke's Knowledge of France	43	(10)
The genesis of the Reflections	53	(16)
Burke's theory of the French Revolution	69	(16)
The political theory of the Reflections	85	(12)
Burke's crusade against the Revolution	97	(12)
Burke's later influence	109	(32)
A note on the text	113	(2)
Biographical guide	115	(10)
Bibliography	125	(16)
REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE	141	(4)
[Burke provided no sub-division of his work into sections or chapters: it began as a letter, and remained a single undivided body of prose. What follows is the suggestion of the editor in order to make Burke's text more easily accessible.]
Preface [iii--iv]	143	(2)
Part I. The English constitution and the Revolution of 1688	145	(272)
Origins of the work [1]	145	(1)
The Society for Constitutional Information and the Revolution Society [3]	146	(4)
Burke on liberty and prudence [7]	150	(4)
Astonishing nature of French revolution [11]	154	(1)
Richard Price's sermon; Nonconformity [12]	155	(4)
Price misrepresents the constitution [16]	159	(2)
Price's general interpretation of 1688 reviewed [20]	161	(2)
Right to choose governors denied; hereditary principle reasserted [22]	163	(13)
Right to cashier governors for misconduct denied [37]	176	(5)
Right `to form a government for ourselves' denied [44]	181	(1)
Liberties as an inheritance [45]	181	(4)
Part II. The French Revolution
France might have repaired ancient constitution [50]	185	(4)
Intrinsic evils of French Revolution, [54]	189	(3)
explained by composition of National Assembly [58]	192	(2)
Its Third Estate: predominance of lawyers [60]	194	(6)
Its First Estate: predominance of minor clergy [67]	200	(1)
Its Second Estate: role of discontented nobility [68]	201	(4)
Qualifications for government: virtue, wisdom, property [72]	205	(4)
Consequent flaws in future French constitution [77]	209	(2)
Price's threat to extend French principles to England [79]	211	(4)
Destructive consequences of natural rights claims [85]	215	(2)
Contrasting Whig theory of formation of civil society and rights of men within it [87]	217	(4)
Effects of false claims of rights: `speculative designs', `desperate strokes' [92]	221	(3)
Price's sermon implicitly condones massacre; Price compared to Hugh Peters [96]	224	(2)
Horrors of 5--6 October 1789 [99]	226	(1)
National Assembly overawed by Paris mob [100]	227	(5)
Events of 5--6 October [105]	232	(4)
Eulogy of the Queen [111]	236	(2)
Chivalry and `manners' compared with `this barbarous philosophy' [113]	238	(5)
Why Burke reacts differently from Price [119]	243	(2)
Defence of Louis XVI [122]	245	(1)
Part III. English society
Different conduct of the English; cause of this [124]	246	(7)
French philosophes compared with English Deists [132]	253	(1)
Religion as the basis of civil society [134]	254	(2)
Defence of `our church establishment': [136]	256	(13)
Moral restraints on the people [138]	257	(2)
Obligations between generations [141]	259	(3)
Divine origin of civil society [146]	262	(1)
Religion and education [148]	263	(1)
Independent endowment of the Church [149]	264	(2)
Importance of religion to rich and poor [151]	266	(2)
Property rights of the Church [155]	268	(1)
Part IV. Contrasting principles of the French Revolution
Confiscation of property [156]	269	(3)
Betrayal of national faith [160]	272	(2)
Role of `monied interest' [163]	274	(1)
Role of `political Men of Letters' [165]	275	(3)
Alliance of these against `property, law and religion' [168]	278	(4)
Part V. French society before the Revolution
Its finances reformable; Necker [174]	282	(4)
Previous taxes on nobility and clergy [178]	286	(1)
The `project of confiscation' [179]	286	(4)
A `third option' between monarchy and democracy [184]	290	(4)
Nature of the French monarchy [188]	294	(1)
Flourishing population disproves tyranny [189]	294	(3)
As does France's wealth; Necker [192]	297	(3)
Both reduced by the Revolution [196]	300	(3)
Nobility and clergy had supported reform [199]	303	(3)
Characteristics of the French nobility [202]	306	(2)
Value of nobility as such [205]	308	(1)
Characteristics of French clergy [206]	309	(1)
Wrongly blamed for past offences [207]	310	(4)
Qualities of present clergy [212]	314	(3)
Part VI. The expropriation of the French Church
Consequences of reform of the Church: `abolition ... of the Christian religion' [217]	317	(3)
Contrasting policy in England [221]	320	(3)
Consequences of French `atheistical fanaticism' [225]	323	(1)
Its `spirit of proselytism' across Europe [226]	324	(3)
Injustice of French confiscations [230]	327	(1)
Wisdom of moderate reform [231]	328	(2)
Practical bad consequences of confiscations of church property [235]	330	(4)
Part VII. The proceedings of the National Assembly
Burke's further thoughts on the actions of the Assembly [241]	334	(1)
National Assembly's lack of authority [242]	335	(2)
Its member's lack of political wisdom [245]	337	(6)
Their actions regarding:
The constitution of the legislature: [253]	343	(24)
Not to be formed on theories [253]	343	(1)
Basis of territory [254]	344	(2)
Basis of population [256]	346	(1)
Basis of contribution [258]	347	(1)
Contradictions of this scheme [259]	348	(2)
Its electoral consequences [262]	350	(2)
Its divisive consequences [265]	352	(3)
Contrasting electoral system in Britain [269]	355	(1)
General purpose of elections [271]	356	(1)
Superiority of ancient republics [272]	357	(2)
`Cementing principles': (i) confiscation [276]	359	(1)
Social Consequences of paper currency [277]	360	(4)
'Cementing principles': (ii) superiority of Paris [284]	364	(1)
Loss of local identity [285]	365	(1)
Absolute power of National Assembly [286]	366	(1)
The constitution of the executive power: [288]	367	(7)
Monarch no longer the fountain of justice [289]	368	(1)
Monarch now powerless to execute laws [290]	369	(1)
Executive magistracy depends on veneration [291]	369	(2)
Position of king's ministers [293]	371	(1)
`Fictitious' position of executive [295]	372	(2)
The constitution of judicature: [298]	374	(5)
Importance of parlements [298]	374	(3)
Judges now subordinate to National Assembly [301]	377	(2)
[`Cementing principles': (iii) the army] [304]	379	(1)
The constitution of the army: [304]	379	(16)
Account of war minister [305]	379	(2)
Collapse of discipline and loyaly [307]	381	(1)
Army subverted by revolutionary ideas [309]	382	(1)
Reimposition of discipline unlikely [311]	383	(2)
Constitutional errors are interlinked [313]	385	(1)
Relation of army to crown [315]	386	(1)
Relation of army to National Assembly [317]	387	(1)
Elective principle in army [318]	388	(1)
Assembly must rule by the army; [320]	389	(2)
since peasantry now claim land on revolutionary principle [322]	391	(3)
The `municipal army' is merely democratic [327]	394	(1)
The system of finance: [328]	395	(22)
High expectations of reform, [328]	395	(2)
contrasted with report of M. Vernier [331]	397	(1)
Financial mistakes of National Assembly: [332]	398	(1)
Voluntary benevolences [333]	398	(1)
Patriotic donations [334]	399	(2)
Paper currency [336]	401	(1)
Failure to reduce expenditure [337]	401	(1)
Collapse of credit [337]	401	(1)
Resort to assignats as sole remedy [338]	402	(2)
Difficulty of securing paper credit on land [340]	404	(1)
Mismanagement of expropriation of the Church [342]	405	(2)
Effects of first issue of assignats [345]	407	(1)
Analogy with Law's Mississippi Company [346]	408	(2)
Speeches of M. Bailly [349]	410	(1)
General effects of financial `dilapidation' [350]	410	(2)
Conclusion
Liberty requires wisdom and virtue [352]	412	(1)
Difficulty of forming a free government [353]	412	(1)
Commends examples of the British constitution [354]	413	(1)
Burke's lifelong struggle for liberty of others [356]	414	(3)
Appendix I: Textual variations in subsequent editions	417	(7)
Appendix II: Richard Price's reply to Burke	424	(9)
Index	433