Employing Gramsci in Support of Laski on the Problems of British Idealism

Abstract

In the early to mid-20th century Laski was a prominent critic of British Idealist political philosophy. Laski's political thought helps reveal weaknesses in the Idealism of Green and Bosanquet, who did not pay sufficient attention to divisions within society. Social unity, state sovereignty and the general will are among the concepts upon which Laski focused. The strength of Laski's criticism can be enhanced by drawing upon Gramsci's influential political thought. Laski and Gramsci were concerned with similar processes in the politics of capitalist countries. A Gramscian method justifies drawing the concept of hegemony from Gramsci's work and using that concept in support of Laski's arguments.

Individuality, Freedom and Socialism: The British Idealists' Critiques of the Fichtean State

“…This is significant in the present case because recently it has been alleged that ‘a significant weakness of British Idealism — and indeed Idealist thought in general … was the failure to address the problem of entrenched social divisions that prevent the common good of all citizens in a modern capitalist society from being realised’ (Lamb, 2012, p. 489). Yet Bosanquet (1923, p. 228) took Fichte to task precisely on this point.…”

“…50–104) condemned British idealism as a whole and specifically T. H. Green, F. H. Bradley and Bosanquet, claiming that the British idealists' most damning associations were with Fichte and Hegel. Suspicions persist regarding the alleged tendency of the British idealists to sanction excessive state authority and state-imposed social divisions (Lamb, 2012; Wilson, 2009, p. 182, p. 184).…”