"rational" Political Criticism

Well-known, since 17th century when Hobbes have created modern politics, the stalemate between liberalism and conservatism has been the mail current of western politics. But undeniable, there are other unique politicians besides the two schools, which one of the delegates is Oakeshott. Oakeshott regards liberalism as natural right theory, conservatism as conventionalism, and criticizes them separately. In the procedure of his critique, Oakeshott formulates his attractive Human nature politics.Oakeshott believes that real politics philosophy must be base on epistemology. He reflects the actuality of modern politics, sagaciously penetrates that the root of modern political crisis is the deluge of rationalism. The deluge of rationalism directly causes positivism and scientism to flood in fundamental philosophy. Human science (Geisteswissenschaften) so much loses its own truth and methods that it have to submits to natural science. In political field, the participator is forced to be transformed from cives to anti-cives. As the anti-cives becomes the subject, European modern politics completely loses its subjectivity. People are thorough deprived of freedom.Therefore, the beginning of his politics is to criticize rationalism. Oakeshott thinks that the critique of rationalism will achieve two aims. One is let rationality back to its original meaning, the other is freeing "human nature" from the control of rationalism. Through the critique, Oakeshott gets the concept of "general rationality" and makes human nature independently. He further uses rationality to interpret human nature, recognizes human nature as the psychological knowledge. The expression that can be discerned by all people about human nature is although inexact, but which is so realistic that can be cornerstone of any political thoughts and political systems. Thus, Oakeshott step by step analyzes some political concepts such as justice, liberty, democracy, equality, religions and education e.g. then he provides "negative rule thought". What his so called negative rule thought in fact is giving rights back to cives whose possess "real free volition". The governmental power will as much as possible be weakened in order to prohibit "transactional purposes" from interfering with "human intentions".