Edmund Burke and Thomas Paines Views on the French...

Edmund Burke and Thomas Paines Views on the French Revolution Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine were two of the several strongly-opinionated individuals writing back-and-forth in response to what the others were saying about the French Revolution. Burke, a critic, writes first. Paine, a supporter, responds. In the excerpt from Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke argues in favor of King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette. When Marie was murdered, Burke says, â€Å"As a man, it became him to feel for his wife and his children, and the faithful guards of his person, that were massacred in cold blood about him; as a prince, it became him to feel for the strange and frightful transformation of his civilized†¦show more content†¦My favorite point that he made is that if the arts are lost (and I think this still applies), we’ll become â€Å"a nation of gross, stupid, ferocious, and at the same time, poor and sordid barbarians, destitute of religion, honor, or manly pride.† Thomas Paine retorts in an excerpt from Rights of Man with an argument that can be boiled down to this line: â€Å"It is the living, and not the dead, that are to be accommodated.† He argues that the current generation needs to be in control of their society, and not under the control of a society formed by the past generation, most of which is dead. He says, â€Å"The vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave, is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies. Man has no property in any man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow.† He attacks Burke’s motive, saying Burke never believed there would even be a revolution because the French lacked the spirit and the fortitude, â€Å"but now that there is one, he seeks an escape by condemning it.† In my opinion, Burke is the far more persuasive one. Burke uses real arguments against the Revolution, but Paine resorts to exaggeration and personal attacks. Burke makes a very convincing argumen t for chivalry, the proof of its validity being in the currentShow MoreRelatedEssay about Paine and Burke1644 Words   |  7 PagesLOCKE OR PAINE AND BURKE DIFFER. This essay will examine the philosophical difference between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine relating to the French and American Revolutions at the late Eighteenth Century. We are going to present a summary of the debate between these two different philosophers in the first part of this essay. The pros and cons of each man will be looked at in the second and third part of the essay and the final part of this essay will explain why Thomas Paines view was more acceptedRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1336 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis The French Revolution was such an important time history. Not only was it a massacre with many lives being lost, including that of Queen Marie Antoinette and her husband King Louis XVI, it was also a time of great political turmoil which would turn man against man that being the case of Edmond Burke and Thomas Paine. Edmond Burke a traditionalist who believed the people should be loyal to the king against his former friend, Thomas Paine a free thinker who believed in order for things toRead MoreThe View Of Human Nature : Thomas Paine And Edmund Burke930 Words   |  4 Pagesexpression constantly being used in the European Middle Ages to describe the view of human nature for Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke. Although both authors have differing views of what it means to be free and equal, they also show differences in their attitude against the type of government within society. With so many differences of opinions between these authors it seems as if there is not much common ground. Fo r Thomas Paine, his ideas center on the fact of every man being equal, God would not wantRead MoreThomas Paine And America A Prophecy2237 Words   |  9 PagesThomas Paine and America a Prophecy William Blake, poet of the Romantic Era, wrote in 1793 the prophetic story America a Prophecy. The story begins with Orc breaking the chains that held him down and sexually assaulting a young woman that has been taking care of him. The woman is revealed to represent America and that she has been waiting for Orc to help her. Soon Orc and other colonies under British rule attack the Prince of Albion and King George III. Alongside Orc are historical figures suchRead MoreThe French Revolution By Edmund Burke Essay1538 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most critical moments for human history, the French Revolution transpired amongst a slew of issues which caught France at a point of near destruction. Historians have debated for centuries whether the country has truly benefitted from this ten-year war within itself or the consequences of the bloody revolution, which includes the killing of thousands of people, were actually necessary. The outcome of the French Revolution did not immediatel y bring about the destruction of the monarchyRead MoreEdmund Burke and Thomas Paine: A Comparative Analysis of Their Views on the French Revolution913 Words   |  4 PagesEdmund Burke and Thomas Paine differed strongly on their views of the French revolution and the wisdom of the proceedings of the French National Assembly in 1789-90. In his book Reflections on the Revolution in France the conservative Edmund Burke argued that the concept of universal human rights that applied internationally across all societies was a meaningless abstraction that was subversive of social order, while in The Rights of Man the radical democrat Thomas Paine insisted that all human beingsRead MoreRights of Man Essay503 Words   |  3 Pagesthe two sides. In Edmund Burkes essay Reflections on the Revolution in France Burke states that a king is in one sense a servant but in everyday situations they are above every individual. All persons under him owe him a legal agreement to serve his hopes. This essay will demonstrate why Thomas Paines essay The Rights of Man is more convincing than Edmund Burkes through examination of a heredity government, the nature of rights and the uselessness of the monarchy. Edmund Burkes idea of heredityRead MorePoverty And Poverty1081 Words   |  5 Pagesaristocracy and the poor working class. One of the most notable of this type of dispute is the French Revolution. The French Revolution sparked country across Europe and the world, giving rise to the formation of new political opinion of the poor. Famous authors and politicians during the time, like Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke, sparked an emergence of differing opinions from those commonly held prior to the revolution on the topics of human nature’s impact on poverty and original sin. In today’s day andRead MoreComplications Of The French Revolution1364 Words   |  6 PagesThe French Revolution (1789-1799) had significant, far reaching implications. In Britain it permeated every level of society. Not only did politicians change their allegiances, but moderate reformers were radicalised, and British society was completely divided into supporters and detractors of the Revolution. It a lso resulted in a drastic politicisation of Ireland, changing the nature of politics completely. The British government was threatened by the French Revolution because they saw what wasRead MoreThomas Paine : An English American Politician Activist, Philosopher And Writer1756 Words   |  8 PagesThomas Paine was an English-American political activist, philosopher and writer. He was born on the twenty-ninth of January 1737 at Thetford, Norfolk in England, to a Quaker father and Anglican mother. Paine received basic education, but learned to read, write and perform arithmetic. At the age of thirteen he began working, at first with his father, as a stay maker. He then later worked as an officer of the excise, hunting smugglers, and collecting liquor and tobacco taxes. Around 1760, Paine’s wife