Keynes the Man.pdf - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

Murray N. Rothbard 23The Burkean Political Theorist‘‘IF MOORE was Keynes’s ethical hero, Burke may laystrong claim to be being his political hero,” writesSkidelsky (1983, p. 154). Edmund Burke? What couldthat conservative worshiper of tradition have in commonwith Keynes, the statist and rationalist central planner? Onceagain, as with Moore, Keynes venerated his man with a Keynesiantwist, selecting the elements that fitted his own character andtemperament.What Keynes took from Burke is revealing. (Keynes presentedhis views in a lengthy, undergraduate, prize-winning English essayon “The Political Doctrines of Edmund Burke.”) There is, first,Burke’s militant opposition to general principles in politics and,in particular, his championing of expediency against abstract naturalrights. Secondly, Keynes agreed strongly with Burke’s hightime preference, his downgrading of the uncertain future versusthe existing present. Keynes therefore agreed with Burke’s conservatismin the sense that he was hostile to “introducing present evilsfor the sake of future benefits.”There is also the right-wing expression of Keynes’s general deprecationof the long run, when “we are all dead.” As Keynes put it, “Itis the paramount duty of governments and of politicians to securethe wellbeing of the community under the case in the present, andnot to run risks overmuch for the future” (ibid., pp. 155–56).Thirdly, Keynes admired Burke’s appreciation of the “organic”ruling elite of Great Britain. There were differences over policy, ofcourse, but Keynes joined Burke in hailing the system of aristocratic23