In this paper I will compare the theories and ideas from both Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. In comparing these two philosophers, I will be paralleling their ideas and my own ideas I will be attributing them towards the modern day whistleblower, Edward Snowden. Political figures, government representatives and philosophy advocates have carefully studied Burke’s and Mill’s writings over hundreds of years to better understand their theories on governmental control in a society. One of, if not the most noteworthy concept in both their famous writings revolved around the concept of governmental control in a society. Both Burke and Mill have their own theories; they also have many convincing opinions that help them to sustain their own individuality. In order to compare their views of governmental control and relate it to Edward Snowden it is imperative to thoroughly examine and understand each of their perspectives on civilization and governmental control in a society.
Edmund Burke was an Irish political theorist and a philosopher who became a leading figure within the conservative party. Burke has now been perceived as the founder of modern conservatism. He was asked upon to write a piece of literature on the French Revolution. It was assumed that as an Englishman, Burke’s words would be positive and supportive. Given that he was a member of the Whig party, and that he supported the Glorious Revolution in England. Contrary to what was presumed of him, Burke was very critical of the French Revolution. He frequently stated that a fast change in society is bad. He believed that if any change to society should occur, it should be very slow and gradual.
Similarly to Burke, John ...
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...ve highlighted and examined the key similarities in the works of Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France, Mill’s On Liberty and Edward Snowden’s Whistleblower.
Bibliography:
1. Burke, Edmund (the Right Honourable), “Reflections on the Revolution in France” from The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15679, Vol. III/12, No. 04/22, Pp. 1-15, Public Domain, 2009
2. Mill, John Stuart, “On Liberty. ch. 1, 3,” from Project Gutenberg Web site: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34901, No. 01/10, Pp. 1-19, Public Domain, 2011
3. Kevin M. Gallagher. 2013. Freedom of the Press Foundation. Glenn Greenwald, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I don't want to live in a society that does these sort of things'. Video file posted on YouTube on June 9, 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yB3n9fu-rM
Another social factor which prompted Burke to oppose the French Revolution was the threat of violence, which he saw as an inevitable consequence of revolution. It was after the storming of the Bastille that the idea of the revolution became repugnant to Burke, perhaps due to his opposition to the potential violence of revolution. The contrast Burke draws between a “mild and lawful monarch” and “fury, outrage and insult” of the rebels highlights the needless violence that had already materialised during the revolution in his attempt to persuade the English people that the events taking place in France were unjustified and lamentable. Burke did not view the monarchy as the tyrannical force which the French saw them. Instead he saw them as glorious
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 this volume Foner presents his answer to the generational question pondered by historians, about whether or not the American Revolution was really a revolution at all in the true sense of the word. That is a class struggle, aimed at leveling the playing field of democracy in the country, or purely a political quarrel between England and her American colonies. He concludes that the revolution was most assuredly a class struggle of this ilk; one to determine “who would rule at home”, as he quoted from the noted progressive historian Carl Becker in the preface. He asserts ...
Joyce, Appleby, et al. "The American Revolution." The American Vision. New York: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2005. 114-126. Print.
Emerson, Ralph W. "The American Scholar." Give Me Liberty!: An American History. Brief Third ed. Vol. One. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 270. Print. Voices of Freedom excerpt
Foner, E. (2008). Give me Liberty: An American History. New York, Ny: WW. Norton &
Edmund Burke born in Dublin, Ireland was the son of a successful father who solicited for the Church, this may be an explanation for the level of religion he brought into his thoughts and opinions. Born in 1729, (Wells, 2013) he was a politician and philosopher; after going to school for philosophy he was seen into Parliament due to his closeness with a certain high-ranking individual already in Parliament. This was where he really started to be acknowledged as the intelligent man he was, and where his most controversial and influential ideas came into play. First was his idea of conservatism, which is the idea of very little change if any to, in this case, political laws and regulations. This is what lead to his dislike of change or if it had...
The American Revolution is one of the most widely discussed topics within American History. It is of the uttermost importance not only to our independence, but to how our society functions today. With startlingly intense research, lengthy statics, and trustworthy sources, Joyce Appleby gives us a dazzling account of how and why the revolution changed every aspect of American life in her article “Liberalism and the American Revolution”.
27.) Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History. 4th ed. (W.W. Norton, 2012), 815.
Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency (N.S.A) subcontractor turned whistle-blower is nothing short of a hero. His controversial decision to release information detailing the highly illegal ‘data mining’ practices of the N.S.A have caused shockwaves throughout the world and have raised important questions concerning how much the government actually monitors its people without their consent or knowledge. Comparable to Mark Felt in the Watergate scandals, Daniel Ellsberg with the Pentagon Papers, Edward Snowden joins the rank of infamous whistleblowers who gave up their jobs, livelihood, and forever will live under scrutiny of the public all in the service to the American people. Edward Snowden released information detailing the extent of the N.S.A breaches of American privacy and in doing so, became ostracized by the media and barred from freely reentering America, his home country.
It is easier to describe what is not freedom, in the eyes of Rousseau and Marx, than it would be to say what it is. For Rousseau, his concept of freedom cannot exist so long as a human being holds power over others, for this is counter to nature. People lack freedom because they are constantly under the power of others, whether that be the tyrannical rule of a single king or the seething majority which can stifle liberty just as effectively. To be truly free, says Rousseau, there has to be a synchronization of perfect in...
John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all dealt with the issue of political freedom within a society. John Locke's “The Second Treatise of Government”, Mill's “On Liberty”, and Rousseau’s “Discourse On The Origins of Inequality” are influential and compelling literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinker’s ideal state present divergent visions of the very nature of man and his freedom. The three have somewhat different views regarding how much freedom man ought to have in political society because they have different views regarding man's basic potential for inherently good or evil behavior, as well as the ends or purpose of political societies.
Nardo, Don. A. The French Revolution. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999. Print.
On September 5, 2015 former National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden was officially awarded the Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression Bjornson Prize. Snowden infamously leaked classified files from the NSA, ones that revealed that the agency had been gathering private data on United States citizens, as well as the members of the international community. Since then, Snowden has been charged with espionage and forced to seek asylum in Russia, where he currently resides. To some, he is a hero. He blew the whistle on government violations of civil rights and helped preserve the constitution. To others, Snowden is a villain. He is a detriment to national security, someone who deserves to be vilified and convicted of treason. The conflict stems in part from different beliefs regarding freedom of expression and whether Snowden had the right to reveal such evidence. In deciding whether Snowden’s actions are justified, however, it is crucial to further examine the fundamental right of free speech. Through analyses of the philosophical, political and individual rationales behind free expression, theorist critiques and comments on the concept, and one’s personal beliefs, one can demonstrate the importance of free speech and its need to be appreciated.
An individual does not make a community, and a community does not make a society. In order to have a functioning and prosperous society, one must relinquish some free will in return for protection. According to John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty, there are certain rights of the individual which the government may never possess. Centuries after the publication of Mill’s Essay, the court case Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegeta l , 546 U.S. 418 (2006) challenged the protective role of government against the free exercise of religion. In this instance, Mill would agree with the court ruling because, like his views concerning free exercise of will, government restriction and majority rule, both the court ruling and Mill’s ideals are concerned for the best interests of the individual rather than for the greater good of society.