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Modern liberalism vs conservatism
Modern liberalism vs conservatism
Modern liberalism vs conservatism
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Many changes occurred in France during 1789 until 1799. This ten-year span, not only brought major upheaval to the government, but to social aspects within the country as well. Both, Edmund Burke’s, Reflections on the Revolution in France and Mary Wollstonecraft’s, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’, were published during this revolutionary time period. Although Burke and Wollstonecraft possess contradicting views, their works both include opinions about justice, equality and tradition. Burke’s conservative views persuade the reader to understand that the government follows a natural and cyclical path just as nature does. Wollstonecraft directly retorts by insisting that individuals, not nature, control society and therefore the path it takes. She also insisted that these individuals needed to alter their ways in order to revolutionize society for the better.
To better comprehend the strict perspectives of these authors in relation to their political and social views, it is crucial to understand the terms liberal and conservative. The Oxford English Dictionary defines liberal as, “supporting or advocating individual rights, civil liberties, and political social reform tending towards individual freedom or democracy with little state intervention.” Wollstonecraft asserted that change was vital for society to thrive. Furthermore, conservative is defined as, “that conserves or favours the conservation of, an existing structure or system (now esp.) designating a person, movement, outlook, etc., averse to change or innovation and holding traditional ideas and values, esp. with regard to social and political issues” (Oxford English Dictionary). Burke essentially wanted France to stay immutable. Reform was needless; the government...
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...the ability to modify the shortcomings within society. Regardless of their viewpoints, both authors offered their opinions about justice, equality and tradition. Both raised factual information that causes the reader to speculate more critically about the topics at hand. Whether it is today or in the 1790’s, political parties will always have differing views.
Works Cited
Burke, Edmund. “From Reflections on the Revolution in France.” Class handout.
"Conservative, n. and adj.". OED Online. December 2013. Oxford University Press. 14 February 2014 .
"Liberal, adj. and n.". OED Online. December 2013. Oxford University Press. 14 February 2014 .
Wollstonecraft, Mary. “From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.” Class handout.
Conservatives, ideology places the values on status quo. They have difficulties accepting changes, and believe that change should be taking at a slow pace. They believe that human institutions are the product of a gradual process of experience. Conservatives believe slow changes would be more effective over a long period of time. time. They believe changing institutions and practices would affect the would affect the underlying structure. Conservatives be that it is not realistic to expect that that changes in institutions and practices would replace the existing without causing chaos.
Edmund Burke was an Irish political theorist and a philosopher who became a leading figure within the conservative party. Burke has now been perceived as the founder of modern conservatism. He was asked upon to write a piece of literature on the French Revolution. It was assumed that as an Englishman, Burke’s words would be positive and supportive. Given that he was a member of the Whig party, and that he supported the Glorious Revolution in England. Contrary to what was presumed of him, Burke was very critical of the French Revolution. He frequently stated that a fast change in society is bad. He believed that if any change to society should occur, it should be very slow and gradual.
Another social factor which prompted Burke to oppose the French Revolution was the threat of violence, which he saw as an inevitable consequence of revolution. It was after the storming of the Bastille that the idea of the revolution became repugnant to Burke, perhaps due to his opposition to the potential violence of revolution. The contrast Burke draws between a “mild and lawful monarch” and “fury, outrage and insult” of the rebels highlights the needless violence that had already materialised during the revolution in his attempt to persuade the English people that the events taking place in France were unjustified and lamentable. Burke did not view the monarchy as the tyrannical force which the French saw them. Instead he saw them as glorious
Association (2003): 31-36. Cambridge Journals Online. American Political Science Association, 30 Jan. 2003. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2009). Introduction to politics. Oxford, England: Oxford UP.
The Strange Death of Liberal America. New York: Praeger Publishers, 2006, pp. 113-117. 216. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Carr, David.
The Liberals value protecting and helping those who cannot for themselves, promotes fairness likes nurturing and strengthening oneself in order to help others. Project this into nation we see how the liberals hold the view that it is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual human rights. In other words Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems while conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individuals to solve problems. Conservatives value self discipline, responsibility and self reliance, upholding of established moral order then use of punishment to establish respect for authority. This serves as the basis of the view that government role should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own
...tory of the American Radical Tradition, ed. Timothy Patrick McCarthy and John McMillian (New York: The New Press, 2011), 569.
Larry Johnston (2008) Politics: An Introduction to the Modern Democratic State, Third Edition, Chapters 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9.
The differences between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke’s assertions on politics revolve around the two men’s views on the necessity of the French Revolution of between 1789 and 1799. Apparently, the social and political upheaval that shook France in the ten years questioned the absolute Monarchial rule of the French Monarch and in turn, sought to destroy the social hierarchies defined by the aristocrats. In other words, power was subject to the lineage in which an individual is born and for that reason, social infrastructures remained rigid with little to no mobility for the low-class citizens. In answer to the changes sought out by the rebelling French communities, Edmund Burke’s release of the “Reflections on
The French Revolution was a period of time in which France underwent many changes, many which could be considered revolutionary. France’s whole system and way of being was completely changed. New ideas were proposed everyday. An idea is revolutionary when it is a new idea, when it is something that has never been thought of before. The Declaration of the Rights of Women written by Olympe de Gouges on September 1791, was one of the ideas proposed to the National Assembly (Hunt, Web 1). The document proposed that since the French Revolution was all about finding equality for all people, women should be equal to men and therefore, should have the same rights as men did. Women at the time live in terrible conditions. They had little access to education, and therefore could not enter professional occupations that required advanced education, were legally deprived of the right to vote, and were not considered citizens (Class Discussion Notes). If equal rights were not given to women, the French Revolution had not reached its full potential, according to Gouges. She expressed this idea in her document, saying, “This revolution will only take effect when all women become fully aware of their deplorable condition, and of the rights they have lost in society” (Gouges, Web). Anyone that questioned the Revolution was immediately put to death (Class Discussion Notes). If Gouges’ document and ideas were important enough to catch the attention of the National Assembly and for her to be put to death, her ideas could be considered important and revolutionary (Britannica, Web 1) But, the document was not revolutionary. The Declaration of the Rights of Women was not a revolutionary document because its ideas were taken from other people and were no...
Cooper, Barry, Allan Kornberg and William Mishler. The Resurgence of Conservatism in Anglo-American Democracies. Durham: Duke University Press, 1988. Print.
In the analysis of the issue in question, I have considered Mary Wollstonecraft’s Text, Vindication of the Rights of Woman. As an equivocal for liberties for humanity, Wollstonecraft was a feminist who championed for women rights of her time. Having witnessed devastating results or men’s improvidence, Wollstonecraft embraced an independent life, educated herself, and ultimately earned a living as a writer, teacher, and governess. In her book, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” she created a scandal perhaps to her unconventional lifestyle. The book is a manifesto of women rights arguing passionately for educating women. Sensualist and tyrants appear right in their endeavor to hold women in darkness to serve as slaves and their plaything. Anyone with a keen interest in women rights movement will surely welcome her inexpensive edition, a landmark documen...
Shapiro, Ian, Rogers M. Smith, and Tarek E. Masoud, eds. Problems and Methods in the Study of Politics. Cambridge ; Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Classic conservatism emerged in the midst of the French Revolution. It came about when Chateaubriand gave the name Le Conservateur to a journal he issued in order to resist the spread of new politics, especially democratic ideas. It didn’t take long for the name to be taken up by others, like myself, who oppose the progress of democracy. Conservatism centers on the idea of one centralized monarch as well as church, also the idea that there should be one born with the divine right to lead. Conservatism revolves around tradition and social stability. Conservatives believe in a gradual development as opposed to an immediate change. The obvious enemy of conservatism is liberalism, or “radicals”.