INSTRUCTIONS FOR POLITICIANS
The Best of Edmund Burke
Introduced and edited by Gary Furnell
Foreword by Hon. Kevin Andrews
The Philosophical Notes No. 3
Paperback, 154 pages, $29.95
ISBN: 9781923224117
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was an Irishman, born in Dublin, who lived
in England from his youth until his death. He was a parliamentarian for
twenty-nine years, from 1765 to 1794. This was a time of alarms and
revolutions: the American Revolution and the French Revolution.
Burke was a political empiricist: he wanted to see, to feel, to
investigate for himself, to see what was already being done in each
specific set of circumstances. It was necessary to have a sympathetic,
thorough familiarity with matters before suggesting any gradual
amendments to particular arrangements. He wanted to maintain all that
had been attained and then to augment it rather than destroy it in the
hope, always forlorn, of a totally new system.
“Burke’s writings are as relevant today as they were in the 18th
century. The incursion of the state into other spheres of activity has
been unrelenting. Understanding - and endeavouring to apply - Burke’s
thought to contemporary public policy issues is critical today.
The value of this collection is that it goes to the heart of Burke’s
thought, while sparing the reader what is often viewed as flowery
language of the 18th century.
Many MPs know little of their political philosophy beyond superficial statements such as “I support freedom of speech”.
Gary Furnell has provided a useful resource in collecting together
the most valuable thoughts and writings of Edmund Burke in this volume.
It deserves a wide readership.” - Hon. Kevin Andrews.
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