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Preface | |
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Abbreviations | |
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Chronological table | |
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Introduction | |
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The identity of Edmund Burke | |
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The Revolution of 1688 | |
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Burke's knowledge of France | |
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The genesis of the Reflections | |
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Burke's theory of the French Revolution | |
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The political theory of the Reflections | |
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Burke's crusade against the Revolution | |
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Burke's later influence | |
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A note on the text | |
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Biographical guide | |
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Bibliography | |
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Reflections on the Revolution in France | |
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Preface [iii-iv] | |
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The English constitution and the Revolution of 1688 | |
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Origins of the work [1] | |
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The Society for Constitution Information and the Revolution Society [3] | |
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Burke on liberty and prudence [7] | |
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Astonishing nature of French revolution [11] | |
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Richard Price's sermon; Nonconformity [12] | |
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Price misrepresents the constitution [16] | |
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Price's general interpretation of 1688 reviewed [20] | |
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Right to choose governors denied; hereditary principle reasserted [22] | |
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Right to cashier governors for misconduct denied [37] | |
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Right 'to form a government for ourselves' denied [44] | |
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Liberties as an inheritance [45] | |
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The French Revolution | |
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France might have repaired ancient constitution [50] | |
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Intrinsic evils of French Revolution, [54] | |
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Explained by composition of National Assembly [58] | |
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Its Third Estate: predominance of lawyers [60] | |
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Its First Estate: predominance of minor clergy [67] | |
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Its Second Estate: role of discontented nobility [68] | |
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Qualifications for government: virtue, wisdom, property [72] | |
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Consequent flaws in future French constitution [77] | |
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Price's threat to extend French principles to England [79] | |
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Destructive consequences of natural rights claims [85] | |
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Contrasting Whig theory of formation of civil society and rights of men within it [87] | |
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Effects of false claims of rights: 'speculative designs', 'desperate strokes' [92] | |
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Price's sermon implicitly condones massacre; Price compared to Hugh Peters [96] | |
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Horrors of 5-6 October 1789 [99] | |
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National Assembly overawed by Paris mob [100] | |
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Events of 5-6 October [105] | |
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Eulogy of the Queen [111] | |
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Chivalry and 'manners' compared with 'this barbarous philosophy' [113] | |
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Why Burke reacts differently from Price [119] | |
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Defence of Louis XVI [122] | |
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English society | |
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Different conduct of the English; cause of this [124] | |
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French philosophes compared with English Deists [132] | |
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Religion as the basis of civil society [134] | |
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Defence of 'our church establishment': [136] | |
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Moral restraints on the people [138] | |
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Obligations between generations [141] | |
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Divine origin of civil society [146] | |
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Religion and education [148] | |
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Independent endowment of the Church [149] | |
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Importance of religion to rich and poor [151] | |
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Property rights of the Church [155] | |
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Contrasting principles of the French Revolution | |
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Confiscation of property [156] | |
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Betrayal of national faith [160] | |
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Role of 'monied interest' [163] | |
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Role of 'political Men of Letters' [165] | |
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Alliance of these against 'property, law and religion' [168] | |
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French society before the Revolution | |
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Its finances reformable; Necker [174] | |
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Previous taxes on nobility and clergy [178] | |
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The 'project of confiscation' [179] | |
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A 'third option' between monarchy and democracy [184] | |
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Nature of the French monarchy [188] | |
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Flourishing population disproves tyranny [189] | |
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As does France's wealth; Necker [192] | |
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Both reduced by the Revolution [196] | |
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Nobility and clergy had supported reform [199] | |
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Characteristics of the French nobility [202] | |
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Value of nobility as such [205] | |
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Characteristics of French clergy [206] | |
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Wrongly blamed for past offences [207] | |
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Qualities of present clergy [212] | |
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The expropriation of the French Church | |
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Consequences of reform of the church: 'abolition ... of the Christian religion' [217] | |
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Contrasting policy in England [221] | |
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Consequences of French 'atheistical fanaticism' [225] | |
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Its 'spirit of proselytism' across Europe [226] | |
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Injustice of French confiscations [230] | |
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Wisdom of moderate reform [231] | |
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Practial bad consequences of confiscations of church property [235] | |
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The proceedings of the National Assembly | |
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Burke's further thoughts on the actions of the Assembly [241] | |
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National Assembly's lack of authority [242] | |
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Its members' lack of political wisdom [245] | |
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Their actions regarding | |
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The constitution of the legislature: [253] | |
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Not to be formed on theories [253] | |
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Basis of territory [254] | |
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Basis of population [256] | |
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Basis of contribution [258] | |
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Contradictions of this scheme [259] | |
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Its electoral consequences [262] | |
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Its divisive consequences [265] | |
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Contrasting electoral system in Britain [269] | |
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General purpose of elections [271] | |
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Superiority of ancient republics [272] | |
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'Cementing principles': (i) confiscation [276] | |
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Social consequences of paper currency [277] | |
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'Cementing principles': (ii) superiority of Paris [284] | |
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Loss of local identity [285] | |
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Absolute power of National Assembly [286] | |
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The constitution of the executive power: [288] | |
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Monarch no longer the fountain of justice [289] | |
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Monarch now powerless to execute laws [290] | |
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Executive magistracy depends on veneration [291] | |
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Position of king's ministers [293] | |
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'Fictitious' position of executive [295] | |
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The constitution of judicature: [298] | |
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Importance of parlements [298] | |
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Judges now subordinate to National Assembly [301] | |
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['Cementing principles': (iii) the army] [304] | |
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The constitution of the army: [304] | |
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Account of war minister [305] | |
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Collapse of discipline and loyalty [307] | |
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Army subverted by revolutionary ideas [309] | |
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Reimposition of discipline unlikely [311] | |
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Constitutional errors are interlinked [313] | |
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Relation of army to crown [315] | |
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Relation of army to National Assembly [317] | |
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Elective principle in army [318] | |
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Assembly must rule by the army; [320] | |
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Since peasantry now claim land on revolutionary principle [322] | |
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The 'municipal army' is merely democratic [327] | |
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The system of finance: [328] | |
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High expectations of reform, [328] | |
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Contrasted with report of M. Vernier [331] | |
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Financial mistakes of National Assembly: [332] | |
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Voluntary benevolences [333] | |
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Patriotic donations [334] | |
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Paper currency [336] | |
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Failure to reduce expenditure [337] | |
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Collapse of credit [337] | |
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Resort to assignats as sole remedy [338] | |
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Difficulty of securing paper credit on land [340] | |
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Mismanagement of expropriation of the Church [342] | |
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Effects of first issue of assignats [345] | |
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Analogy with Law's Mississippi Company [346] | |
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Speeches of M. Bailly [349] | |
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General effects of financial 'dilapidation' [350] | |
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Conclusion | |
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Liberty requires wisdom and virtue [352] | |
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Difficulty of forming a free government [353] | |
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Commends example of the British constitution [354] | |
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Burke's lifelong struggle for liberty of others [356] | |
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Textual variations in subsequent editions | |
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Richard Price's reply to Burke | |
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Index | |