Burke

Irishman Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was in the British parliament when the conflict with the American colonies occurred, and he sided with the colonies, making him a hero to many in America. He is also considered to the world's first political conservative, and many conservatives today praise him for that reason. His works included "Inquiries into the Sublime and Beautiful" (defending the American colonies and examining how people interpret what they see) and "Reflections on the Revolution in France" (warning how bad the French Revolution was because a few would gain control and abuse their power, even while everyone else praised that Revolution). What was striking about Burke was that he was almost always right in his political assessments and predictions.