Many consider Edmond Burke to be the father of Conservatism while John Locke the Father of Liberalism. Both of these men's philosophies have significantly influenced the politics of the United States. Throughout history, these two men have been recognized for their views on government. Conservatism and liberalism have always been part of our politics and never have we seen as big of a divide as we see now. The consequences of this divide in philosophies have created such a rift in politics that liberty has been almost ignored.

Who was Edmund Burke and what were his philosophies?
Burke was born in 1730 in Dublin, Ireland. His father was Protestant and an attorney while his mother was Catholic.1 At the time of his birth and throughout his youth, Catholics in Ireland had little or no rights. They could not vote or participate in professions, own firearms and the government strictly controlled land ownership and inheritances. All of these discriminatory policies that he grew up with later influenced his political philosophies. “It is evident that Edmund grew up as the product of a marriage mixed not merely by religion but by trajectory and class.”2 This dichotomy probably helped Burke see things from many viewpoints. From his boarding school years, he was influenced by Quaker teachings. He moved to England at age 20, and it was a new beginning for him. He studied for the bar exam, which is why he probably had an excellent understanding of the law, but in 1755 he gave it up. All of these works foretold his future philosophies. They all talked about human nature. His philosophy is described in the following two quotes. “Humans have a distinctive nature, which is not purely subjective but governed by certain general laws; Human reason is limited in scope, and insufficient as a basis for public morality.”4. “We have a common human nature, the Christian religion is generally a civilizing force”.5
From 1759-1774 Burke continued to...