1. Conciliation with America (1775)
Edmund Burke ( )
Conciliation with America (1775)

3. Historical Context: Burke’s Biography
Irish-born
Marquis Rockingham
Whig MP (Member of Parliament)
Great political theoretician
Journalist – 4 London daily newspapers
Eloquent writer and speaker
Major works: “Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents” (1770s), “Speech to the Electors of Bristol” (1780), “Reflections on the Revolution in France” (1790)

4. Historical Context: Burke’s Position in Society
Son of Dublin lawyer
“Mixed marriage”
Education
Public figure
Ideology: conservative, founding father, critic of liberalism and Enlightenment
natural pillars of society
Natural developments of States (Hegel later)
But also a Whig

5. Historical Context: Burke’s Views on Major Issues
Rapid Historical transformations
Debate between liberals and conservatives
French Revolution – results of abstract rationalism of the Enlightenment
But concerned with liberty

6. Historical Context: Burke’s Views on Major Issues
Movement towards political democratization, concepts of popular government
Increasing role of Parliament – “isthmus between arbitrary power and anarchy” (Burke)
But who should be in Parliament?
Concept of representation: virtual vs. liberal (Wilkes, British radicals of the 1760s and 1770s) vs. functionalist
Burke: natural aristocracy (people = “swinish multitude”), but all interests in society should be represented

7. Historical Context: Burke’s Views on Major Issues
Tensions between Great Britain and its colonies
Supported representation for the Irish and the American colonies
Idea of the British empire
colonies to decide certain matters and have de facto civil liberties
A right to tax could be a right not to tax
English colonies as part of British empire could levy their own taxes

8. Historical Context: Document’s Audience
Members of British parliament
A minority position
Also colonists

9. Document Analysis: Main Points
Use of force is not the best option
Not the British way
Last resort. The use of force leads to uncertain consequences.
“ My next objection is its uncertainty. Terror is not always the effect of force; and an armament is not a victory. If you do not succeed, you are without resource; for, conciliation failing, force remains; but, force failing, no further hope of reconciliation is left….”
More destruction than good, alienation
“A further objection to force is, that you impair the object by your very endeavours to preserve it. The thing you fought for is not the thing which you recover; but depreciated, sunk, wasted and consumed in the contest….”
A temporary measure: subdue, but not govern
“the use of force alone is but temporary. It may subdue for a moment; but it does not remove the necessity of subduing again: and a nation is not governed , which is perpetually to be conquered.”

10. Main Points continued:
2. American colonies are different from Britain and as such requires their own government
Liberty
Geographically remote
Only its own government can cope with problems
3. Britain should respect rights of its colony

11. Edmund Burke, A Founder of Conservatism
Founder of Conservatism: “Burke maintained that society was a contract, but ‘the state ought not to be considered as nothing better than a partnership agreement in a trade of pepper and coffee, to be taken up for a temporary interest and to be dissolved by the fancy of the parties.’ The state was a partnership but one ‘not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born.’ No one generation therefore has the right to destroy this partnership; instead, each generation has the duty to preserve and transmit it to the next. Burke advised against the violent overthrow of a government by revolution, but he did not reject the possibility of change. Sudden change was unacceptable, but that did not eliminate gradual or evolutionary improvements.” (Spielvogel, p. 612)

12. Document’s significance
Impact on society
Impact on later generations
What groups were impacted
Was impact important, if so, why?
the use of force and sovereignty,
sensitivity to context
“western” values of restrain and civility