Bosanquet's Social Theory of the State

Bibliographic Data

ID3568209
AuthorsDorothy Emmet (11 Millington Road, Cambridge, corresponding author)
Year1989
Volume37
Issue1
Pages104-127
Publication date1989-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0261 • E-ISSN: 1467-954X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-954x.1989.tb00023.x
OpenAlexW2064517116
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited9

Bosanquet's political philosophy was a social theory of the function of the State as 'hinderer of hindrances to the best life', where individual development was supported by relationships within a community. This was worked out in the context of considerable knowledge of conditions among the London poor at the turn of the century, and reinforced by his wife's practical work and research. He sympathized with Durkheim's pioneering sociology, and was in contact with him through the Sociological Society. His 'New Liberal' approach, seeing problems of poverty as to be met by informed charitable activity, was restricted by insufficient recognition of the structural aspects of social problems and conflicts. The bearing of his Idealist Metaphysics is critically considered, and it is claimed that, although a good deal of this may not be acceptable, it gave a background to a kind of social thinking which is of interest to those looking for a communitarian type of political philosophy

Context (archaeology) · Epistemology · Metaphysics · Political philosophy · Political science · Politics · Social science · Sociological theory · Sociology · State (computer science) · Emile Durkheim and Sociology · European Political History Analysis · Law · Mathematics · Philosophy · Social Sciences and Governance

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