Edmund Burke prided himself on being a practical statesman, not an armchair philosopher. Yet his responses to specific problems – rebellion in America, the abuse of power in India and Ireland, or revolution in France – incorporated theoretical debates within jurisprudence, economics, religion, moral philosophy and political science. Moreover, the extraordinary rhetorical force of Burke's speeches and writings quickly secured his reputation as a gifted orator and literary stylist. This Companion provides a comprehensive assessment of Burke's thought, exploring all his major writings from his early treatise on aesthetics to his famous polemic, Reflections on the Revolution in France. It also examines the vexed question of Burke's Irishness and seeks to determine how his cultural origins may have influenced his political views. Finally, it aims both to explain and to challenge interpretations of Burke as a romantic, a utilitarian, a natural law thinker and founding father of modern conservatism.
• Scholars have been waiting for a general and up-to-date assessment of the full range of Burke's thought and legacy, which is provided in this volume • Interdisciplinary in nature, combining historical, literary and philosophical analysis in an accessible presentation • Provides the most balanced assessment to date of Burke's legacy
Contents
Acknowledgements; List of contributors; Method of citation; Chronology; Introduction: philosophy in action; 1. Burke's life F. P. Lock; 2. Burke, Enlightenment and Romanticism Richard Bourke; 3. Burke as rhetorician and orator Christopher Reid; 4. Burke's aesthetic psychology Paddy Bullard; 5. Burke on law and legal theory Seán Patrick Donlan; 6. Burke on political economy Richard Whatmore; 7. Burke and religion Ian Harris; 8. Burke and the constitution David M. Craig; 9. Burke and the natural law Christopher Insole; 10. Burke and utility David Dwan; 11. Burke and the ends of empire Jennifer Pitts; 12. Burke and the American crisis Harry T. Dickinson; 13. Burke on India Frederick G. Whelan; 14. Burke on Ireland Ian McBride; 15. 'Reflections on the Revolution in France' Iain Hampsher-Monk; 16. Burke's counterrevolutionary writings Iain Hampsher-Monk; 17. Burke in the USA Seamus Deane; Further reading.
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