Many people know Edmund Burke through a single, powerful line. “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one.” This quote often appears as a simple call to action against evil. However, it represents the tip of a deep philosophical iceberg. Burke offered one of the first and most robust defenses of political parties in modern history. His thinking goes far beyond a memorable aphorism. He provides a framework for understanding why principled political organization is not just useful, but essential for a free and stable society.
To grasp Burke’s view on parties, we must first understand his broader political philosophy. Burke was a conservative, but not in the way we might use the term today. He believed society was an organic, living entity. It grows and evolves over generations. Consequently, he distrusted radical, abstract theories that sought to remake society overnight. For him, wisdom resided in tradition, established institutions, and gradual reform. This belief in an organic social order directly shaped his ideas about political groups. He saw them as natural parts of the political landscape.
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The Crucial Distinction: Faction vs. Party
Burke’s entire theory rests on a critical distinction between a faction and a party. For much of the 18th century, many thinkers viewed all political groupings with suspicion. They saw them as self-interested factions that threatened national unity. Indeed, Burke shared this disdain for factions. He defined a faction as a group of individuals motivated by personal ambition, greed, or a narrow, selfish interest. A faction pursues its own goals at the expense of the public good. It is a cabal, a conspiracy against the commonweal.
In contrast, Burke elevated the concept of a party. He famously defined it in his 1770 pamphlet, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents. He wrote, “Party is a body of men united for promoting by their joint endeavours the national interest, upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed.” . This definition contains several key elements. First, a party unites around a shared principle, not just personal loyalty. Second, its ultimate goal is to promote the national interest. Finally, its members work together openly and collectively. Source
Why Principled Parties are Essential
Burke argued that principled parties were not a necessary evil, but a positive good. He believed they served several vital functions within a constitutional government. Firstly, they act as a formidable check on power, particularly the power of the monarch or the executive. A single, isolated individual has little chance of standing up to the government. However, an organized party can provide a coherent and effective opposition. It can scrutinize government actions, expose corruption, and rally public opinion. This organized opposition prevents the slide into tyranny.
Furthermore, parties bring clarity and consistency to politics. When politicians organize around shared principles, voters know what they stand for. This makes politics more predictable and accountable. Instead of a chaotic mess of individual politicians, parties offer clear choices and coherent platforms. They can also form more stable and effective governments when in power. A government built on a party’s shared principles is more likely to pursue a consistent agenda than one composed of shifting, temporary alliances. Therefore, parties are instruments of stability and order.
Beyond the Quote: A Call for Principled Association
With this context, Burke’s famous quote gains new depth. The call for “the good” to “associate” is not just a general moral plea. It is a specific political prescription. He is arguing for the formation of honorable, principled Edmund Burke: Political Parties and Prin…. The “bad men” who “combine” are the factions—the self-interested, the corrupt, and those who seek power for its own sake. They will always exist and will always organize to achieve their ends. If good people remain isolated and refuse to form their own associations, they will be powerless against these organized factions.
Burke saw the refusal to join a party on grounds of