Reflections on the Revolution in France
To understand the distinctions between modern liberalism and modern conservatism start with the debate between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke. Paine was a revolutionary leader in both the US and in France. From his revolutionary pamphlet Common Sense, to his more substantial works The Rights of Man and The Age of Reason, Paine lays out the framework for modern liberalism. Paine's later works were in direct conversation with Edmund Burke. Burke, a member of the British House of Commons, supported the American Revolution, but opposed the French Revolution. Burke argued that change must be rooted in tradition, and that politics must take into account human nature, which is often irrational. For Burke, scientific government was impossible. He also saw liberal icons like Rousseau as ultimately corrosive to the cause of liberty and representative government.
Why this is libertarian/conservative: When liberals and progressives talk about the Enlightenment and the origins of liberalism they refer to the American Revolution. When conservatives talk about the Enlightenment and the origins of liberalism they refer to the French Revolution. Ostensibly built on the same principles the American and French revolutions had diametrically opposite results. In the US a long-lasting democratic republic was established. In France the revolution led first to the Terror and then to the rise of the dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. If you're looking for a critique of liberalism you probably want to learn more about the French Revolution.
No comments:
Post a Comment