Project Gutenberg 2000-05-01 Public domain in the USA. 505 Burke, Edmund 1729 1797 Morley, Henry 1822 1894 Thoughts on the Present Discontents, and Speeches Thoughts on the present discontents -- Speech on the Middlesex election -- Speech on the power of juries in prosecutions for libels -- Speech on a bill for shortening the duration of Parliaments -- Speech on reform of representation in the House of Commons. Transcribed from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition by David Price. and proofing by David, Terry L. Jeffress, Edgar A. Howard "Thoughts on the Present Discontents, and Speeches" by Edmund Burke is a political treatise composed during the late 18th century. The work reflects Burke's exploration of contemporary political issues in Britain, particularly focusing on the discontent surrounding the government and the influence of monarchy and parliament on the lives of citizens. His arguments are deeply rooted in his political philosophy, advocating for a more representative and accountable government while criticizing the existing systems and individuals in power. At the start of the treatise, Burke addresses the complexities involved in analyzing public discontent and the challenges that arise when attempting to identify its causes. He highlights the prevailing unrest in society, rooted in a mixture of public dissatisfaction with government, the rising influence of wealth in politics, and the perceived disconnect between the rulers and the governed. He warns of the dangers of favoring court influence over popular sentiment, asserting that genuine governance should reflect the will and character of its people. Burke's opening sets the tone for an in-depth political critique, inviting readers to consider the broader implications of leadership and governance in a time of societal upheaval. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 50.1 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1789 DA Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: British Literature Category: Politics 311223 2025-08-01T12:32:32.299521 text/html 308115 2007-05-07T08:30:35 text/html 109965 2007-05-07T08:32:17 text/html application/zip 200660 2025-08-01T12:32:38.840484 application/epub+zip 203199 2025-08-01T12:32:35.416507 application/epub+zip 183496 2025-08-01T12:32:34.242482 application/epub+zip 437187 2025-08-01T12:32:41.495487 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 420390 2025-08-01T12:32:38.102499 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 381444 2022-09-01T14:08:10.248930 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 297371 2025-08-01T12:32:31.982514 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 297073 2007-05-07T08:32:17 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 107940 2007-05-07T08:32:17 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 19597 2025-08-01T12:32:41.643439 application/rdf+xml 21979 2025-08-01T12:32:34.745485 image/jpeg 4643 2025-08-01T12:32:34.491493 image/jpeg 199273 2025-08-01T12:32:32.325506 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia en.wikipedia