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Essay / Edmund Burke and historical precedent
According to Edmund Burke, knowledge of historical precedent can be a valuable tool in dealing with more current issues of the same nature. He is a proponent of allowing past policies and customs to continue, not only for the sake of tradition, but also because customs that survive through generations are often successful for good reasons. In Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke suggests that respect, knowledge, and adherence to the past practices of prosperous nations should inform the policies of current governments. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In explaining the value of historical customs, Burke refers to the Revolution as a way to preserve historical rights that were under threat: “The Revolution was created to preserve our ancient laws and unquestionable liberties and that ancient constitution of government which is our only guarantee for right and liberty. By emphasizing the term “ancient,” Burke implies that such long-standing precedents transform what might have been a privilege at one time into an inalienable right. Once a nation has adopted a particular practice as a tradition, it becomes dear to its citizens and should not be challenged without just cause. Burke insists that the Revolution, despite its title, was not intended to be revolutionary but rather conservative in nature for "The very idea of forming a new government is enough to fill us with disgust and horror." » It is therefore clear that Burke has a deep respect for French traditions and wishes to re-establish a government "as a heritage of our ancestors". This is not to say that a change in government was undesirable, but rather that any changes to the nation's policies must be made with a deep understanding of the past. Burke makes this clear when he says: "All the reforms which we have hitherto made have proceeded on the principle of respect for antiquity...all such [reforms] as may be hereafter made will be carefully formed upon an analogous precedent, on authority and example. “Burke is adamant in his belief that successful law reform can be most easily achieved through consideration of well-established decisions. To support this idea, he cites King John's Magna Charta as an extension or elaboration of Henry I's positive charter. He explains the establishment of the Magna Charta as "nothing more than a reaffirmation of the even older existing law of the realm." If one accepts this statement as true, then one might understand the institution of such a charter as simply a formal means of securing these "most sacred rights and franchises as an inheritance." Burke believes that the notion of “legacy” is important in understanding both the past as well as expectations for the present. He uses this concept of inheritance to explain or justify the Magna Charta amendment to the Bill of Rights as a demonstration of "the inheritance we received from our ancestors." He asserts that the value of such “legacy” goes beyond simply maintaining the centuries-old constitution, but also serves to preserve national unity. Burke believes that new government policies are most effective and acceptable when they preserve fundamental legacies: "We have a hereditary crown, a hereditary peerage, a House of Commons, and a people inheriting the privileges, franchises, and liberties of a long line of ancestors… This policy seems to me to be the result of a.