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A Pledge to the People by Edmund Burke Edmund Burke pleaded with Parliament to emerge from behind closed doors and reconnect with the British public.

1780

Music: John Marsh

About this picture …

A statue of Edmund Burke silhouetted before the stone facade of Trinity College, Dublin.

A Pledge to the People

In 1780, Parliament stood accused of being out of touch. While MPs entertained generous lobbyists and rubber-stamped ever higher taxes, the country was governed by grossly overstaffed committees behind closed doors. Edmund Burke pleaded for a more direct, self-denying government, and urged the Commons to reconnect with the public.

by Edmund Burke 1729-1797

LET the commons in parliament assembled, be one and the same thing with the commons at large. Let us identify, let us incorporate ourselves with the people. At present all is troubled and cloudy, and distracted, and full of anger and turbulence, both abroad and at home: but the air may be cleared by this storm, and light and fertility may follow it.

Let us give a faithful pledge to the people, that we honour, indeed, the crown; but that we belong to them; that we are their auxiliaries, and not their task-masters; the fellow-labourers in the same vineyard; not lording over their rights, but helpers of their joy: that to tax them is a grievance to ourselves, but to cut off from our enjoyments to forward theirs, is the highest gratification we are capable of receiving.

Source

From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 2 (of 12).

Suggested Music

Conversation Symphony in E flat for Two Orchestras (1778)

1: Allegro Maestoso - Allegro spirituoso

John Marsh (1752-1828)

London Mozart Players, directed by Matthias Bamert.

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