#82 Ferenc Hörcher: Are conservatives afraid of intellectuals? Intellectual Conservatism

We return to a persistent challenge for conservatives. What do we do with intellectuals? Can politicians trust them? What role, if any, do intellectuals play in conservative politics? Dr. Ferenc Hörcher argues that intellectuals have a different job than politicians, but each can benefit from the other. In the ideal case, intellectuals avoid telling politicians what do, and politicians foster an appetite for intellectual discourse.  We return to a discussion about Intellectual Conservatism: From Burke to Scruton, a book he co-edited with Daniel Pitt. It's priced as an academic book, but anyone interested in political thought and history would benefit from it. Ferenc displays the best of what it means to be an intellectual conservative: openness, generosity, humour, breadth of interest, nuance, and much more.  Looking forward to hearing what you think! Thanks again, Shawn Chapters and AI summary Host Shawn Whatley welcomes back Dr. Ferenc Hörcher, head of the Research Institute for Politics and Government at Ludovika University of Public Service in Hungary and senior research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to discuss Intellectual Conservatism: From Burke to Scruton, a book he co-edited with Daniel Pitt. Hörcher explains why political conservatives often fear intellectuals, citing 20th-century examples of intellectuals introducing destructive ideas into politics, but argues for a division of labor: politicians govern while intellectual conservatives think about politics and provide long-term perspective. The conversation emphasizes the book’s practical focus and its intellectual-historical narrative of Anglo-American conservatism, and Hörcher argues conservatives need not fear classical liberalism, since Anglo-American conservatism reacts to liberalism while retaining respect for its core achievements such as individual liberty and constitutional traditions. Drawing on his experience growing up in communist Hungary and gaining freedom in 1990, Hörcher says he values the West’s non-communist traditions—including liberalism, Christian democracy, and democratic socialism—and rejects culture-war framing in favor of prudential problem-solving on issues like education, migration, climate, and demography. They discuss Oakeshott’s critique of rationalist planning and the post-liberal debate (including British political theology strands and American figures like Patrick Deneen and Adrian Vermeule), with Hörcher expressing doubts about post-liberalism as a political solution while affirming liberal institutional achievements such as rule of law, free speech, and academic freedom. Hörcher distinguishes liberal and conservative individualism by stressing community, responsibility, and the fragility of freedom; he connects property ownership and markets to moral formation, describing Thatcher’s project as moral rather than merely economic and arguing market exchange is inherently personal and bound up with dignity, trust, and responsibility. In closing, Hörcher says politics must be approached with awareness of human mortality and highlights Roger Scruton’s later emphasis on “oikophilia,” love of home, urging civic participation, care for local communities, and sustaining Western culture through civility. 00:00 Are Conservatives Afraid of Intellectuals? (Cold Open) 00:38 Meet Dr. Ferenc Hörcher + What This Episode Covers 04:29 Host’s Big Question: Is Conservatism ‘For’ or ‘Against’ Things? 06:35 Why ‘Intellectual Conservatism’ Matters: Division of Labor with Politicians 11:20 Why Leaders Should Read: Long-Term Perspective vs. Media Politics 15:50 Conservatism & Liberalism as Shared Anglo-American Political Culture 17:55 Coalitions, the ‘Non-Left,’ and the Postliberal Challenge 20:30 Hörcher’s Central European Lens: Freedom After Communism 26:47 Pivot to Oakeshott: Rationalism, Planning, and Political Opponents 31:18 When Liberalism Shifts: Utopianism, Equality, and the Return of ‘Planners’ 34:34 Philip Blond on Universalism: Liberalism as the West’s New ‘Universal’ 35:55 Post-Liberalism as Political Theology: Faith, Secularism, and Liberalism’s Roots 39:23 Is John Gray a Post-Liberal? Zigzags, British vs. American Currents, and a New Wave of Books 42:27 What Post-Liberals Actually Critique: Defending Liberal Institutions While Reviving Virtue 48:30 Conservative vs. Liberal Individualism: Community, Fragility of Freedom, and Responsibility 55:48 Property, Markets, and Moral Formation: Thatcher, the Middle Class, and Stewardship Across Generations 01:04:50 Dignity, Trust, and Exchange: From Healthcare to Why Humans Aren’t Machines (or AI) 01:10:23 Final Reflection: Mortality, Scruton’s ‘Oikophilia,’ and Civility Through Local Participation