| | Tibor,
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Did you mean Leo Strauss' Natural Right and History?
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Yes, sorry (I fudged the title somewhat). It was specifically these troubling quotes:
p 298
Burke therefore seeks the foundation of government not in "imaginary rights of men" but "in provision for our wants, and in a conformity to our duties."
p 300
The health of a society requires that the ultimate sovereignty of the people be almost always dormant.
p 304
... in judging the political leaders whom he opposed in the two most important actions of his life, he traced their lack of prudence less to passion than to the intrusion of the spirit of theory into the field of politics.
p 310
Speculation, being essentially "private," is concerned with the truth without any regard to public opinion. But "national measures" or "political problems do not primarily concern truth or falsehood. They relate to good and evil." They relate to peace and "mutual convenience," and their satisfactory handling requires "unsuspecting confidence," consent, agreement, and compromise. Political action requires "a judicious management of the temper of the people." ...
Hence it may easily happen that what is metaphysically true is politically false. ...
Prejudices must be "appeased." Political life requires that fundamental principles proper ... be kept in a state of dormancy.
p 311
Whereas theory rejects error, prejudice, or superstition, the statesman puts these to use. ...
"Speculative inquiries" necessarily bring to light the imperfect character of the established order. ...
Considerations transcending "the arguments of states and kingdoms" must be left "to the schools; for there only they may be discussed with safety."
Ed
(Edited by Ed Thompson
on 10/02, 7:59pm)
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