On Leslie Stephen's Interpretation of Burke's Political Thought

Abstract

  The aim of this paper is to reassess the value of Leslie Stephens interpretation of Edmund Burke's political thought.

  Stephen's interpretation is generally supposed one of the Victorian interpretations of Burke's thought which mainly focus on the utilitarian aspects of Burke.

  It is P. J. Stanlis who contributes much to the making of this view on Stephen's interpretation.

  In Edmund Burke and the Natural Law, Stanlis maintains that Burkes political thought is based on the Traditional Natural Law.

  Stanlis argues that Stephen's interpretation is not valid because he cannot appreciate the cardinal importance of the Traditional Natural Law which plays a key role in Burke's political thought.

  By comparing Stephen's interpretation with Stanlis', I make it clear that Stephen gains an insight into an important dimension of Burke's political thought which Stanlis cannot apprehend well enough.

  Stephen realizes that the unique and important feature of Burke's thought lies not in what his thought is based on, but how he apprehends the connection between political thought and practical matters should be.

  Finally I consider the relevance of this reassessment of Stephen's interpretation to the present politics, with focus on the idea of Political Judgment which Ronald Beiner formulates.