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ON 9th JULY 1797 the statesman and the philosopher Edmund Burke died, after having contracted resist cancer. He was buried in Beaconsfield Church near his Buckinghamshire home. Burke had been a distinguished Member of Parliament but never attained heights office. His political career must be judged a failure.However, Edmund Burkes true legacy was contained in his extensive writings. In letters,pamphlets and books he expounded a coherent placement of ideas about human naturethe organic state the benefits of prejudicethe dangers of political relation by secret consensus and the role of political parties.Two hundred geezerhood on, most scholars would agree that Burke had a gift for deep analysis conveyed in stylish English prose.Yet the content of his work though corpse controversial. Supporters included the poet William Wordsworth, who called Burke "the most sagacious politician of his age". Karl Marx, on the other hand, complained in Das Kapital that Burke was a bourg eois posterior of the English ruling class. Marxists took particular offence at Burkes critique of egalitarianism, by chance realising the radical threat which this presented to their own vision of a future society. mod panoptics and conservatives still acclaim some of Burkes ideas, but their interest is largely rhetorical. Burkes liberal tendencies would almost certainly not go far enough for todays liberals. His gage for the abolition of slavery was only gradualist, his religious toleration did not join on to atheists (whom he saw as dangerous criminals) and, whilst in favour of restrain royal patronage, Burke supported monarchy and aristocracy. Meanwhile, his conservative defence of Parliament, the nation and the Anglican Church would presumably be a sheer embarrassment to todays fusty Party, which has embraced European Union and a secular, free market ideology.This two-part article go away outline some of Edmund Burkes key ideas and assess their relevance to nationalism. His contribution is an master(prenominal) one. Sadly, Burkes clarity and complete lack of political correctness must make up ones mind his appeal in the modern age. In 1997 and beyond Burke seems apprenticed to become a forgotten prophet except to those who challenge the predominant orthodoxy. 1.THE NATURE OF MANAll societies are based on a particular view of human nature. Todays view, springing from Enlightenment philosophy, is that peo... ...ng nature is unworkable, par is "a monstrous fiction" (7). At worst, ambitious elites use equality as a pretext to reallocate resources to themselves. At best,well-intentioned people see equality as no more than a benign aspiration. They think it would be just in theory but of course not when use to themselves in practice, lest this endanger their own privileges. This is perhaps the greater error. "Abstract principles,however appealing, cannot be applied directly to solve real political problems. Any tackle to do so exit h ave futile or insalubrious results. There is no such thing as a political principle which is good in itself, but not viable. If it is not practicable then it is not good.In Part II of Edmund Burkes Legacy the focus will be on other pertinent aspects of Burkes thought. These include his views onprejudice as being a form of wisdom "human rights" as being rooted in a specific culture quite a than inherited by all people the dangers of a dual system of rules of government (open and secret) and Burkes belief that political parties should be ideological and that their ideologies should involved " move the national interest.