Edmund Burke Society
The Edmund Burke Society is an organization that was founded at Columbia in 2009. It is loosely modeled after traditional notions of the 18th-century gentlemen's club, as a response to nouveau riche culture. Society meetings, as well as membership, are secret.
Surprisingly, the society is approved by Columbia's Student Governing Board, for reasons unknown. Perhaps it is recognized for its members' academic pursuits, which include intense philosophic debate and the preservation of Western tradition--investment in history, literature, and the arts.
History
The Edmund Burke Society is founded on the principles set forth by Edmund Burke (1729-1797), the father of conservative philosophy and politics. Burke was a prominent Anglo-Irish statesman, a proponent of the American Revolution, and an opponent of the French Revolution. His letter, Reflections on the Revolution in France, is critical to understanding his social and political views, and is required reading for Contemporary Civilization classes. Burke's thoughts on the preservation of local tradition mirror members' interests, serving as the foundation of the society.
Members
The Edmund Burke Society is known to tap prominent Columbia College scholars, with a preference for those with strong international political associations, as well as those with distinct philosophical views. Specific criteria is unknown; however, a very limited number of students are tapped each year. There are approximately twenty members in total.
Incidents
In the spring of 2010, the Edmund Burke Society recruited (paid?) minority students to flyer Hamilton Hall with posters that read "Redeunt Saturnia Regna", its motto in Latin. The posters also included an image of the fleur-de-lis, a dynastic emblem.
Rumors
It is rumored that members wear (Burke?) pins or other symbols on meeting days. Rumors of initiation include various rituals, as well as the depletion of large sums of money and other valuable goods.
