On What Would Karl Marx Do? we imagine historical thinkers weighing in on today’s politics — this episode examines the Affordable Care Act through the eyes of Edmund Burke. It asks whether expanding access to health care is a noble civic duty or an overconfident attempt to remake society by administrative fiat.

Burke’s response, explored here, praises the impulse to relieve suffering but warns that sweeping, centralized reforms can erode institutions, civic virtues, and local responsibility. The episode traces his concerns about mandates, bureaucracy, constitutional limits, and the long-term moral effects of state-managed compassion.