Michael Oakeshott, The Philosopher Ploughman
Graham A. MacDonald reappraises the ideas and impact of the 20th-century political thinker, Michael Oakeshott.
"Almost overnight, a world of ungracious fact had melted into infinite possibility; we who belonged to no ‘leisured class’, had been freed for a moment from the curse of Adam, the burdensome distinction between work and play. What opened before us was not a road but a boundless sea; it was enough to stretch one’s sails to the wind. The distracting urgency of an immediate destination was absent, duty no longer oppressed, boredom and disappointment were words without meaning; death was unthinkable."
Michael Oakeshott, The Idea of a University (1950)
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
