Edmund Burke: Form Of Representative Government

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Edmund Burke supports a form of representative government, because he believed that elected representatives are individuals with a higher sense of responsibility, intellectual capacity, and social status. Therefore, they have a better perception in judgment over the interest that concerns the government and the nation as a whole, rather than to solely represent people’s opinion. In addition, Burke’s view about representative government who caters its constituents, can lead to government dysfunction and inefficacy, because they would be forced to fulfill people’s wishes especially when seeking re-election.

For Edmund Burke the concept of equality is more associated with the notion of being a true natural aristocrat in a hierarchy society, instead of been associated with the human natural laws. Burke’s view about natural laws are more universal in character because he believes that people are born with some basic natural rights. He believes for example in the right to live, work, to prosper, and the right to justice. These are all universal natural attributes that any individual should inherit when becoming part of a society. In contrast, Burke also argues that, even though all men are born with equal natural rights, not all men are entitled to equal share, because this can only be obtained

Together, this form of rational organization is an expression of what we commonly know as a civil society. Here is where we also manifest our thinking, actions and feelings. For Edmund Burke tradition or a traditional form of government was a way to identify if an institution is completely legitimate in order to protect, promote and provide long term solutions for cultural and social order. Burke’s sought this by analyzing the long life of any political institution or