The rights of man and the revolution controversy

¶ … Rights of Man and the Revolution Controversy

The readings provide two very different outlooks on the rights of man and revolution, which give insight into America's fight for freedom and what Americans were attempting to achieve. As the text notes about Paine and Burke, "Burke wrote eloquent prose for the educated elite; Paine's simple, electric style was framed for the common reader...." (Editors 122). Thus, Burke's ideas about revolution and English superiority were very different from Paine's impassioned pleas for freedom and revolt.

In essence, Burke's argument is that England has a long history of liberty and constitutional government, and it does not need to be changed. Today, his mantra might be "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, most wise entrepreneurs, politicians, and readers know that just because something works, does not mean it does not need fixing. Burke argues, "Thus, by preserving the method of nature in the conduct of the state, in what we improve, we are never wholly new; in what we retain, we are never wholly obsolete" (Burke 105). However, Burke's status quo applied to English on English soil, and he even mentions that Americans are crying out in "false claims of right" (Burke 106). Thus, his arguments hold little water for British citizens in America, who could not represent themselves in the government of Great Britain, but they were still taxed and treated as British subjects, which even today seems unfair.

Throughout his work, as the text notes, Burke's words appeal to the elite upper classes, he refers to them as the "next generation of the nobility" (Burke 106) while referring to the freedom fighters as "artificers and clowns" (Burke 106). In effect, Burke is a British snob, and his words are a true illustration of just what most Americans were fighting for. They were fighting for a way of life that did not include the "next generation of the nobility," where everyone is equal, and snobbery of Burke's kind is not necessary. He also decries the French Revolution and the capture (and eventual beheading) of the King and Queen. Burke likes order and social order, while Paine cries out for equality and social justice. Burke believes there should be an elite, and they should never lower themselves to a common status, while Paine believes there should not be an elite class, and that all men are created equal.

This is an inherent difference in philosophy and in government. It is the reason that some English citizens felt the need to break away and travel to a new land. It is the reason that the oppressed and intimidated in other countries of the world still seek freedom and independence. Burke argues that the state is a permanent contract, not to be bent for trivial concerns like "pepper and coffee" (Burke 112). However, Paine's arguments resonated with the "common man," someone who Burke seems to ignore in his arguments. Paine seems more understanding of the "times that try men's souls" (Editors 121), because he seems more in tune with what was actually happening in the colonies and France. He has experience, while Burke simply has education and an opinion. Paine lived through the American Revolution, and saw the birth of a new nation, while Burke seems to see it simply as a rejection of British constitution and state. While Burke preaches constancy, Paine preaches growth and change. He writes, "Every generation is, and must be, competent to all the purposes which its occasions require" (Paine 122). Thus, Paine is a forward thinker, while Burke relies on successes in the past to dictate successes in the future. Great Britain has continued to be a great, commanding leader in the modern world, but their government is still based on a monarchy that may be outdated. American government has seen change and alteration, and it will continue to change as times dictate. Ultimately, after reading these two works, it seems as if America is still more flexible than Great Britain, and more open to change. The British are all about tradition, which is important, but America is all about change, and that is important, as well.