Enlightened self interest

Posted by Antiquary on April 17, 2006

In Reply to: Enlightened self interest Posted by Marjorie Hoskinson on March 30, 2006

: Who originated the phrase "enlightened self interest"? I know the concept from de Toqueville, but the phrase appears not to be his.

In 1790 Edmund Burke wrote, in his "Reflections on the Revolution in France", about 'An enlightened self-interest, which, when well understood, they tell us, will identify with an interest more enlarged and publick'.