Progressives, Pluralists, and the Problems of the State: Ideologies of Reform in the United States and Britain, 1906-1926

Employing new methods of conceptual and institutional analysis, and drawing on extensive original archival research, this book examines the efforts of leading political theorists to transform the initially distinctive theories of the British and American lefts into a single unified ideology. In so doing it challenges traditional narratives emphasising the exceptional development the American and British lefts, and argues instead that the central theoretical and practical commitments of both movements were constantly shaped and reshaped by international ideological exchange. In The First Three Decades Of The Twentieth Century, Two Groups Of Radical Political Theorists - One American And One British - Were Bound Together In A Unique Ideological Relationship. Progressives, Pluralists, And The Programs Of The State Provides The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Intellectual Dialogue That Constituted That Bond. Drawing On Extensive Original Archival Research And Employing Conceptual, Institutional, And Historical Analysis, The Book Examines The Efforts Of These Two Initially Distinctive Political Movements To Forge A Single Ideology Capable Of Motivating Far-reaching Reform In Both Of Their Countries. In So Doing It Challenges Traditional Narratives Emphasizing The Exceptional Development Of American Progressivism And British Socialism, Arguing Instead That The Intellectual Aspirations And Political Programmes Of Both Were Constantly Shaped And Reshaped By International Ideological Exchange. Such An Analysis Transforms Our Understanding Of The Complex Political Demands Of The Movements And Enables The Works Of Their Leading Protagonists, Including G.d.h. Cole, Herbert Croly, Harold Laski, And Walter Lippmann, To Emerge As Rich And Sophisticated Contributions To Modern Political Thought.--jacket. I. Beginnings. 1. Conceptual Foundations. 2. Building The New Nationalism. 3. Socialist Pluralism -- Ii. Debate. 4. From Nationalism To Pluralism. 5. From Pluralism To Community -- Iii. Convergence. 6. Education As Politics. 7. The Politics Of Poverty. Marc Stears. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [276]-295) And Index. In the first three decades of the twentieth century, two groups of radical political theorists-one American and one British-were bound together in a unique ideological relationship. Pluralists, Progressives, and the Problems of the State provides the first comprehensive examination of the intellectual dialogue that constituted that bond. Drawing on extensive original archival research and employing conceptual, institutional and historical analysis, the book examines the efforts of these two initially distinctive political movements to forge a single ideology capable of motivating far-reaching reform in both of their countries. In so doing it challenges traditional narratives emphasizing the exceptional development of American progressivism and British socialism, arguing instead that the intellectual aspirations and political programmes of both were constantly shaped and reshaped by international ideological exchange. Such an analysis transforms our understanding of the complex political demands of these movements and enables the works of their leading protagonists, including G.D. H. Cole, Herbert Croly, Harold Laski, and Walter Lippmann, to emerge as rich and sophisticated contributions to modern political thought. "This book offers a challenging new interpretation of the development of progressive and socialist ideologies in the United States and Britain. Rejecting the conventional wisdom that American and British radical intellectuals operated largely in ignorance of each other, this work contends that the political theories, arguments, and policy suggestions of the early twentieth century left were in fact forged in trans-Atlantic debate. Concentrating especially on the arguments between Herbert Croly, Walter Lippmann, Harold Laski, and G. D. H. Cole, and drawing on extensive original archival research, Progressives, Pluralists and the Problems of the State seeks to reorient understanding of the evolution of American progressive and British socialist thought in its period of most dramatic development."--BOOK JACKET. 0198296762......Page 1 Contents......Page 14 Abbreviations......Page 15 Introduction......Page 16 I: Beginnings......Page 36 1. Conceptual Foundations......Page 38 2. Building the New Nationalism......Page 67 3. Socialist Pluralism......Page 103 II: Debate......Page 140 4. From Nationalism to Pluralism......Page 142 5. From Pluralism to Community......Page 183 III: Convergence......Page 214 6. Education as Politics......Page 216 7. The Politics of Poverty......Page 246 Conclusion......Page 275 Epilogue......Page 278 Select Bibliography......Page 291 C......Page 312 F......Page 314 H......Page 315 L......Page 316 M......Page 317 P......Page 318 S......Page 319 U......Page 320 Z......Page 321 This is the first comprehensive examination of the close relationship between leading groups of British socialists and American progressives in the early twentieth century. Employing new methods of conceptual and institutional analysis, and drawing on extensive original archival research, the book challenges traditional analyses of these movements. - ;In the first three decades of the twentieth century, two groups of radical political theorists - one British and one American - were bound together in a unique ideological relationship. Progressives, Pluralists, and the Problems of the State prov Examining the close relationship between leading groups of British socialists and American progressives in the first three decades of the 20th century, this book employs new methods of conceptual and institutional analysis The three decades that surrounded the First World War were among the most dramatic years in the modern political development of Britain and the United States. 'The crying need of our days is the need for freedom', insisted G. D. H. Cole as the First World War drew to its conclusion.