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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 | |