Plaques - Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke's plaque to mark where he had lived

Edmund Burke was born in Dublin on 12 January 1729 and was educated in Trinity College, Dublin then, later continued with his education in London as he studied law. His father was also a solicitor, but Burke soon gave up on his career path in law and focused on a career in politics. He became MP in 1765.

He was most known for his debates in Parliament over the growing power of the King. He was a clear supporter of liberal-conservatism as he emphasized how the government should be the bridge between the civilians and the monarch, where voices are heard of those lower in the hierarchal system. He hated how the monarch and even government would abuse their powers and did much about it when he stated that Britain should’ve been more pragmatic over the American colonies and how the Indian Government could overcome corruption if it removed its patronage.

Burk also questions the 'western society' and how blind we are to the changes made around us and how we’re being exploited. He sees the media as a narrator, a group of people all delivering the same information from the same people in power.

Burke was said to be courageous but outspoken and through his time he had lost many close friends because of what he said and believed. It’s true that Burke wasn’t always 100% right, but he was never wrong about the majority of what he believed. He had great intellect and a humorous personality, which gave him the ability to predict.

Burke makes many statements about extreme Liberalism and how being too far on that spectrum can cause selfishness and greed as there is more power exerted from government and human well-being is forgotten. In comparison to Burkean conservatism which promotes majority view (majority meaning the civilians).

Burke is profoundly known as the founder of British Conservative tradition. he retired from Parlianment in 1794 and shortly died later in 1797.

“Burke shows us, the individual is not simply a compendium of wants; human happiness is not simply a matter of satisfying individual wants; and the purpose of politics is not to satisfy the interests of individuals living now. It is to preserve a social order which addresses the needs of generations past, present and future.” Telegraph - Jesse Norman’s biography of Edmund Burke.