Reflections On The Revolution In France

Initially, Burke expresses shock that France does not adopt a more modified route. He writes, “They have seen the French rebel against a mild and lawful monarch, with more fury, outrage, and insult, than ever any people has been known to rise against the most illegal usurper, or the most sanguinary tyrant” (38-39). Using his earlier justifications for a revolution, he does not condone one in this case. He describes Louis XVI as a relatively benign king, and one the French could easily reform under. However, instead of preserving the innate aspects of their monarchy and inheritable rights under modification, the French place faith in a government of lawyers and merchants—men Burke characterizes as that of low character. He predicts they soon will fail the people, based on their track record: “Who could conceive, that men who are habitually meddling, daring, subtle, active, of litigious disposition and unquiet minds, would easily fall back into their old condition of obscure contention, and laborious, low, unprofitable chicane?” (43).

Burke does acknowledge that some of the men have talent, but he believes the men lack experience in politics; currently, Burke states that France faces a large national debt and great instability because the country lacks a centralizing force.