Rhetoric of the Status Quo

Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France was the writings of man who did not see the need for the changing of the class structure of the time. With his words, “it has been the uniform policy of our constitution and assert our liberties, as an entailed inheritance derived to us from our forefathers…” that the point he makes is simply that this is the way it has been and should always be. This is a right and true course. That being said everyone has rights as long as it adheres to the class code with those rights being divvied up according to that class structure. In our long history of Homo-Sapiens there has always been an order of the classes. Whereby there has and is a select group within a larger group who have privileges that others do not. Also, within the larger group there are those whose sole purpose is to cater to the needs of the ruling class. And when this social structure is threatened the ruling class will inevitably will defend the social structure for fear of losing their own standing in the group. Which in my humble opinion Edmund Burke’s essay (which took a year to compose) was written out of fear, a fear of losing his (and his fellow statesmen) place in the hierarchy of the status quo. By pointing to the chaos and the barbarism of the revolutionaries he is appealing to the public’s sense of chivalry and position. With such an emotional appeal as this there is only one course of action. That is to not let these acts take place here and to let change come slow and easy through those that are more educated and better qualified (the status quo) to handle these and any other questions as to the rights of man in all the classes. When those who think that they know what is best for everyone, yet do not have even an inkling of the impact on those of the lower classes. Then they will speak of change, of revolution and a redistribution of the status quo.