Michael Oakeshott - Rationalism in Politics

About this Episode

For Michael Oakeshott, conservatism is not a creed or a doctrine but a disposition of contentment. A conservative prefers the familiar to the unknown and the tried to the untried. It is a propensity to use and enjoy what is available, rather than to wish for something other than what you have. Oakeshott posits a minimalist role for government that allows people to live their lives as they see fit.