Citizens and saints : politics and anti-politics in early British socialism

Citizens and Saints is a comprehensive study of the profound rupture in the language of reform and revolution which occurred with the rise of socialism. Focusing upon British Owenite socialism, Professor Claeys argues that two schools of political thinking emerged from the 'social' critique of contemporary political radicalism. One, largely identified with Owenite perfectibilism, aimed to transcend existing forms of democracy and to establish more harmonious, less divisive forms of rule. The other, apparently more democratic, aimed to extend popular control of political institutions to economic organisations. Both were sceptical of the 'political' analyses of socioeconomic deprivation proferred by existing radicalism. Such scepticism was to prove crucial to both liberal and socialist political thought, and Professor Claeys shows that such perennial questions as the intrinsically democratic (or otherwise) nature of Marxist socialism can only be understood by reference to the political and intellectual circumstances in which early socialist ideas emerged. Three modes to thinking about government underlay Owenite attempts to design the ideal polity: republicanism, in both its eighteenth century country and ancient forms; radical puritanism, especially in the shape of Quakerism; and natural jurisprudence, upon which much late eighteenth-century moral philosophy and political economy was based. Citizens and Saints is the first comprehensive study of the profound rupture in the language of reform and revolution which occurred with the rise of socialism. Focusing upon British Owenite socialism, Professor Claeys argues that two schools of political thinking emerged from the 'social' critique of contemporary political radicalism.

this Book Examines The Emergence Of Early Socialist Ideas, Focusing On British Owenite Socialism.