Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke

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Yoram Hazony: Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke

Michael Knowles, The Book Club, Sep 27, 2022

The American Revolution led to the birth of a new, free nation, while the French Revolution led to blood and terror. What was the difference and what can we learn from history before it’s rewritten or forgotten entirely? Political theorist and Bible scholar Yoram Hazony joins Michael Knowles for a discussion about Edmund Burke’s treatise “Reflections on the Revolution in France.” link title https://www.prageru.com/video/yoram-hazony-reflections-on-the-revolution-in-france-by-edmund-burke

Two Parties

Bill of rights and traditions 14: the way things work 17: right property 19:27 Traditions of men or the traditions of God, Ten Commandments. 21: pure reason is the tree of knowledge 26 equality 22: community

Questions

https://www.hoover.org/research/yoram-hazony-rediscovers-conservatism

We did a show the the day after the ides of March 2024 that covered a wide range of topics centered around the law of nature and nature's God including the human nature from the Logos in the garden to the little Platoons of Edmund Burke. General Corruption of human nature and morals, factions in favor of murder or biting one another in covetous practices which is conniving and contriving to take from your neighbor according to the means and methods of the delegate model. The imagine that there is a delegate model of a republic but among a corrupt or slothful society the delegate model can quickly degenerate into a mere indirect democracy. Any revolution, insurrection or call for a militia without addressing the general corruption of society will not only be futile it will be destruction. Christ knew that and he speculated that we needed to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness which included sitting down in the tens and forming a network of fervent charity through something called the trustee model where the people only eat the flesh of Christ, the flesh offered on the living altars of Christ instead of the flesh pots of Egypt. The Church was the pure republic of Christ and somewhat inline with that trustee model of Edmund Burke through the perfect law of liberty and the practice of pure Religion(not public religion and legal charity) according to The Way.

The statement of Edmund Burke concerning the little Platoons as essential in the creation of those "attached" "subdivision" of a free society are warnings. The little Platoons are composed of families which is often what the totalitarian states desires to destroy. The little Platoon is composed of an patriarchy of Elders who gather in those free assemblies spoken of by Moses. John the Baptist, Jesus the Christ and the Apostles who had been appointed a kingdom understood that the tens, their "little platoon", needed to form a network which gathered in ranks of hundreds and thousands bound the people "in society" as "the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections." This gathering in a "little Platoon" or the tens as Christ commanded His disciples to gather the people in was not the only thing the repentant soul needs to do. They were aware that "It is the first link in the series" of practices that have to become engrained in every man's soul who seeks the kingdom of God and the righteousness of that God. Burke makes it clear that the little Platoons gathering together in that righteousness allows for the means and the method to "proceed towards a love to our country and to mankind." If course, if the people are willing to admit that it was our sloth and covetous practices which brought us under tribute and made us merchandise and cursed our children we may also be willing to admit that our dependence on legal charity which is public religion and a form of idolatry must be addressed as the "the first principle".

https://www.hisholychurch.org/audio/20240316Burke.mp3

Edmund Burke was an Anglo-Irish statesman, economist, and philosopher. Born in Dublin, Burke served as a member of Parliament between 1766 and 1794 in the House of Commons of Great Britain with the Whig Party.

In the 19th century, Burke was praised by both conservatives and liberals. Subsequently, in the 20th century, he became widely regarded, especially in the United States, as the philosophical founder of conservatism.

Arguments. In the Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke argued that the French Revolution would end disastrously because its abstract foundations, purportedly rational, ignored the complexities of human nature and society. It is important that people of the world understand human nature before they attempt to reorganize society.

Edmund Burke's political principles were rooted in moral natural law.

A model of a Burkean theory opposed the delegate model of representation. In the trustee model, Burke argued that his behavior in Parliament should be informed by his knowledge and experience, allowing him to serve the public interest. He argued strongly against unrestrained royal power and for the role of political parties in maintaining a principled opposition capable of preventing abuses, either by the monarch, or by specific factions within the government.

In order to accomplish that the people needed to be both moral and organized on a grass roots level and they must create the social bonds through moral activity. Burke concluded that 'man is made for Speculation and action; and when he pursues his nature he succeeds best in both.

Little platoon

“All who have ever written on government are unanimous, that among people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.” Edmond Burke

Edmond "Burke’s critique of the French revolution centres primarily upon its flawed attempt to create a utopian society based upon the slogans of ‘liberty, fraternity and equality.’ This is to ignore the social bonds that keep us together, and marks an attempt to replace the accumulated wisdom of previous generations with abstractions."

The cry for revolution or even the formation of a militia must follow a long held custom of mutual care. If the masses have become accustomed to living at the expense of others the people will have to learn to practice other means and methods of providing the welfare for society in order to reestablish the social bonds of a free society before they will be able to effect any mutual defense.

"The hot-headed idealists who manned the barricades were entirely wrong to believe they could construct a new world from the ashes of the old. They placed their faith in destruction rather than preservation; thereby acting contrary to what Burke claimed should be the guiding principles of society."

The guiding principals of society are often lost on the generation that has not learned nor practiced them. Legal charity demoralizes the people and of course divides the people degenerating those bonds through a civil table of welfare that is a snare.

"Unlike other social contract theorists such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes; Burke believed that “society is but a contract between the dead, the living and those yet to be born.” We must therefore construct civilisation by giving weight to our ancestors, ourselves and those still to be born."

Without Right Reason the people would be ill equipped to provide an adequate defense much less have the capability to provide the skill to reestablish society in a fruitfully free social structure. France went from king to dictator and suffered for it. The same was true with ancient Israel who sought a king in the days of King Saul which eventually brought destruction and captivity.

Burke reminds the people they must attend to the weightier matters of society from the grass roots on and individual bases.

The platoon of tens

In our article concerning why the Masses degenerate we wrote of Burke's "little Platoon":

"To be attached to the subdivision, to love the little platoon we belong to in society, is the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country and to mankind."

This statement concerning the little Platoons of Edmund Burke are essential in the creation of those "attached to the subdivision". John the Baptist, Jesus the Christ and the Apostles who had been appointed a kingdom understood that the tens, each as a "the little platoon" of a network which gathered in ranks of hundreds and thousands bound "in society" as "the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections." This gathering in a "little Platoon" or the tens as Christ commanded His disciples to gather the people in was not the only thing the repentant soul needs to do but "It is the first link in the series" of practices that have to become engrained in every man who seeks to be a free souls under God. Burk makes it clear that it allows for the means and the method of righteousness to "proceed towards a love to our country and to mankind."

If course, if we are willing to admit that it was our sloth and covetous practices which brought us under tribute and made us merchandise and cursed our children we may also be willing to admit that our dependence on legal charity which is public religion and a form of idolatry.

How free society gathers cannot be by mere Contracts, Covenants and Constitutions of a civil nature but they need to be both intimate and inclusive. The heart of the individual must be willing to sacrifice for the heart and health of not just his immediate friends but for his his fellow man. That is found in the means and method of religion.

But without pure Religion and the perfect law of liberty there is no freedom nor liberty.

Edmund talks about the need to be attached to and "love the little platoon" which is why Christ commanded His disciples to sit down in tens. By organize themselves in this network of sharing and caring where each small intimate group of tens are connected to each other small group until hundreds and thousands create a body bound by those social bonds of a free nation.

That is what the Kingdom of God was in the mind of the the early followers of Christ. The network they created by this love made it possible for Paul and the Apostles to send aide during the dearths that swept across the Roman Empire in Acts.