Reflections on the Revolution in France

by Edmund Burke

English · 1790Philosophy
93,914 words11 chapters~376 min read
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Edmund Burke's 1790 philosophical treatise offers a conservative English perspective on the French Revolution, arguing against radical political change and defending traditional institutions. His influential work helped establish modern conservative political thought through passionate rhetoric warning of revolution's dangers.

Opening lines

Burke's Reflections is a continuous letter with no chapter divisions in the original text. The section headings below have been added editorially to aid navigation.
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Contents · 11 chapters

  1. Editor's Note
  2. The Occasion of These Reflections
  3. Dr. Price and the Revolution Society
  4. The True Principles of 1688
  5. What France Might Have Been
  6. The Composition of the National Assembly
  7. The October Days
  8. The Age of Chivalry
  9. Church, State, and Prejudice
  10. The New Constitution
  11. The Ruin of the Finances

About Edmund Burke

An 18th-century Irish statesman and philosopher who served in the British Parliament, this influential thinker championed gradual reform over revolutionary change. His passionate defense of American colonists and fierce criticism of the French Revolution established him as the father of modern conservatism, profoundly shaping political thought for centuries. All works by Edmund Burke

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