Toward Ideational Collective Action: The Notions of Common Good and of the State in Late 19th Century Social Liberalism

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze notions of common good and of the state in late 19th century British social liberalism and their relation to collective action of the citizens. The author shows that British social liberals argued for a type of state that uses top down strategy to encourage collective action in order to transform individuals into a socially responsible groups, i.e. good citizens. The paper focuses on philosophical works of F. H. Bradley, ethics of T. H. Green and political philosophy of B. Bosanquet, analyzing their efforts to reconceptualize ideas of classical liberalism and utilitarian doctrine of the individual, society and the state in light of emerging influence of leftist social movements. The author argues that the works of British social liberals are a foundation of the state and society which will dominate liberalism in the second half of 20th century, i.e. the idea of the welfare state.

Cilj ovog rada je analiza ideja opšteg dobra i države u britanskom socijalnom liberalizmu kasnog 19. veka i njihovog odnosa prema građanskom kolektivnom delanju. Autor pokazuje da su britanski socijalni liberali iznosili argumente u prilog državi koja koristi strategiju odozgo na dole da bi podstakla delanje koje transformiše pojedince u društveno odgovorne grupe, tj. dobre građane. Rad se fokusira na filozofske spise F. H Bredlija, etiku T. H. Grina i političku filozofiju B. Bosankea, analizirajući njihove pokušaje da rekonceptualizuju ideje klasičnog liberalizma i doktrine utilitarizma o pojedincu, društvu i državi a u svetlu rastućeg uticaja levih društvenih pokreta. Autor pokazuje da su dela Britanskih socijalnih liberala temelj države i društva koje će dominirati liberalizmom u drugoj polovini 20. veka, tj. ideji o državi blagostanja.