Reflections, p

23. Dans son discours de 1782, Burke résumait (p. 94) de la façon suivante la théorie individualiste des droits de l'homme : « By nature there is no such thing as politic or corporate personality; all these ideas are mere fictions of law, they are creatures of voluntary institution : men as men are individuals, and nothing else. » Mais il écrit, dans ses Reflections (Works, vol. V, p. 255) : Corporate bodies are immortal for the good of the members, but not for their punishment. Nations themselves are such corporations. — Sur cette conception corporative de la société, voir de même: An Appeal from the new to the old whigs, Works, vol. VI,

p. 210 sqq.