Edmund Burke, a renowned writer and political thinker, has only recently been recognized as one of the greatest political minds in the English-speaking world. The acknowledgment of Burke’s greatness was delayed due to two reasons: the general reason, which applies to all greatness, and a reason that specifically applies to Burke. Generally, greatness needs time and distance to be appreciated. There are only a few exceptions to the rule that most great men are long dead before they earn their rightful place among the world’s greatest figures. For instance, it took fifty years after Shakespeare’s death for him to be eulogized by the poet Milton.
One of the reasons behind Burke’s tardy acknowledgment is the complexity of his mind. To his contemporaries and superficial readers of his works, Burke appeared to be an extraordinary mixture of incongruities. In some respects, he was a staunch Tory and a fervent Whig in others. He was an earnest advocate for liberty but also a rigid supporter of order. In Ireland, India, and America, he was the advocate for the oppressed, while in France, he was the advocate for the oppressor. Burke was the most imaginative of all English statesmen, yet also one of the most hardheaded and practical politicians.
Burke acquired his imaginative capacity from his Irish heritage. His hardheadedness and practicality, on the other hand, were developed through education in Ireland and England. In England, he was tutored by a Quaker who taught him invaluable moral lessons and a deep intellectual understanding of the world. At Trinity College in Dublin, Burke did not shine but chose to study unostentatiously. He then went to London to study law, which proved beneficial for guiding his imaginative mind. However, he never practiced law.
The most important part of Burke’s education was his love of talking and listening to people from all walks of life. It can be said that no man since Socrates ever talked and listened to people as purposefully as Burke did. He looked into the minds of those he conversed with and understood their thoughts and temperaments. This was the secret to his statesmanship – knowing how to “drive” the thoughts and temperaments of those he encountered.
Macaulay’s estimation of Burke’s importance is that he was the greatest man who had lived since Milton. Burke looked at things from the point of view of the world. He had political experience, fighting numerous hard battles, helping to move governments and opposing injustice, wrong, robbery, anarchy and hate. His writings, speeches, and pamphlets, including “A Vindication of Natural Society” and “An Inquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful,” serve as a foundation for understanding his life and work.
Throughout his career, Burke fought against the revolutionary movements of his time and protected Britain against the revolutionary tides that threatened to engulf it. Despite being an Irishman in a time of prejudice against “Irish adventurers,” Burke astounded many with his political prowess.
Burke held great reverence for the British constitution, believing that it should exist for the people and not for the aggrandizement of any party. He was a staunch upholder of righteous causes, never wavering from his chosen path. It is now widely acknowledged that Burke’s positions on Ireland, India, and America were justified, though opinions on his opposition to the French Revolution remain divided. Some see the revolution as a beneficent movement for humanity, while others view the revolution’s cruelty as proof of its destructive nature.
Regardless of one’s views on the French Revolution, it is undeniable that Burke’s opposition was motivated by his love of law and order. The study of Burke is a vast one, covering his complex political beliefs, his mastery of conversation and understanding, and his ability to maintain practicality while possessing a vivid imagination. Edmund Burke’s life and work exhibit a political mind that was ahead of its time, remaining relevant and influential even today.
Leamington Spa Courier – Saturday 01 December 1900
