Edmund Burke's Moral Traditionalism

Abstract Edmund Burke's defense of moral traditionalism is shown to rest upon two controversial premises regarding the effects of cultural and legal traditions: first, that the observation of traditions is necessary in order to preserve civil peace and freedom, and second, that the observation of traditions is necessary if political or institutional changes are to be made according to the common interest of citizens. A critical examination of the evidence in support of these premises suggests, however, that the observation of traditions is not morally required though it may sometimes be recommended by prudence.