This essay easily influenced my political views and philosophy more than anything else I’ve ever read. It was once a bedrock of conservativism, and I bet the average Republican now couldn’t even tell you who Oakeshott was or why he mattered.
@jacobtlevy.bsky.socialWhen I teach Oakeshott's "Rationalism in Politics" to students, one of the several things they always react against is the claim that politics is a practical knowledge acquired over generations, i.e. within a family, not a techne acquired at university by smart law or econ students.