THOUGHTS ON THE CAUSE OF THE PRESENT DISCONTENTS VOL 1 CL

by Edmund Burke

This famed Payne edition of Select Works of Edmund Burke is universally revered by students of English history and political thought. Volume 1 contains Burke's brilliant defense of the American colonists' complaints of British policy, including "Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents" (1770), "Speech on American Taxation" (1774), and "Speech on Conciliation" (1775). Volume 2 consists of Burke's renowned Reflections on the Revolution in France. Volume 3 presents Burke's Four Letters on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France -- generally styled Letters on a Regicide Peace (1795-1796). The Letters, Payne believed, deserve to "rank even before Burke's] Reflections, and to be called the writer's masterpiece." Faithfully reproduced in each volume are E. J. Payne's notes and introductory essays. Francis Canavan, one of the great Burke scholars of the twentieth century, has added forewords and a biographical note on Payne. In the companion volume, Canavan has collected seven of Burke's major contributions to English political thinking on representation in Parliament, on economics, on the political oppression of the peoples of India and Ireland, and on the enslavement of African blacks. The volume concludes with a select bibliography on Edmund Burke.

Genres: History, Politics, Political Science

427 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

After A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful , aesthetic treatise of 1757, Edmund Burke, also noted Irish British politician and writer, supported the cause of the American colonists in Parliament but took a more conservative position in his Reflections on the Revolution in France in 1790.

Edmund Burke, an Anglo statesman, author, orator, and theorist, served for many years in the House of Commons as a member of the Whig party. People remember mainly the dispute with George III, great king, and his leadership and strength. The latter made Burke to lead figures, dubbed the "old" faction of the Whig against new Charles James Fox. Burke published a work and attempted to define triggering of emotions and passions in a person. Burke worked and founded the Annual Register, a review. People often regard him as the Anglo founder.

Reviews

[Jeremy Egerer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burke's (failed) attempt to save Britain from a war with America, containing some of the finest language employed on statesmanship, unity, virtue, common sense, idealism, conservatism, and the rights of citizens. Thoughts on the Present Discontents was confusing -- but only because I'm not too familiar with English history. The speeches were brilliant, and the portions about why the Americans wouldn't be subjected are flattering... to those of us in the US who still adhere closely to the spirit of our forefathers.