July 6, 2004
A COMFORTING THOUGHT ON YOUR WAY TO THE GUILLOTINE--"AT LEAST I WENT QUIETLY...":
Look to 1777 and Learn, Mr. Bush (David Bromwich, June 24, 2004, LA Times)
Edmund Burke, the greatest British political writer of the 18th century, was a principled opponent of wars and revolutions. Hatred of violence and love of liberty were the central motives of his work, and sudden political change, whether imposed from above or below, from within a country or by an external force, inevitably produced an increase of violence and a loss of liberty.
That the replacement of murderous tyranny will temporarily increase violence, whether via revolution or war, is too obvious to need stating, while the idea that said replacement results in a loss of liberty is too stupid a notion to be stated by a rational human. Mr. Bromwich's standard--it is obviously not Burke's--would require an adherent to tolerate Hitler lest getting rid of him cause further disturbance of the peace. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 6, 2004 10:41 AM
Comments
Mr. Bromwich might try reading Burke's Letters on a Regicide Peace.
Posted by: Paul Cella at July 6, 2004 11:25 AMJust one problem: Burke was sympathetic to the American colonists.
Posted by: Sean Hackbarth at July 6, 2004 2:12 PMReplacing the murderous tyranny of the tsars did not lead to such great results.
It's true, Orrin does not believe the tsars ran an actual murderous tyranny, but his subjects did, and they were the only ones entitled to an opinon.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at July 7, 2004 12:48 AMThe subjects? You still think the Revolution was of the "subjects"? You are unreconstructed.
Posted by: oj at July 7, 2004 1:05 AMThere were several revolutions. One aristrocratic, one of subjects, subsequent ones of factions.
I was talking about the one by the subjects.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at July 7, 2004 3:25 AM