The moral state in 1919: A study of John Watson's idealism and communitarian liberalism as expressed in 'The State in Peace and War'

This thesis explores through an analysis of The State in Peace and War (1919) how John Watson, Chair of Moral Philosophy at Queen's University, defended an idealist and communitarian liberal political economy. The idealist social and political philosophy to which Watson subscribed has been identified by historians as an important influence in the changing political culture of the late nineteenth century. Although The State in Peace and War was published well after the main lines of idealist political philosophy had been established, it possesses historical importance as Watson's response to the backlash during the First World War against idealism and, more broadly, communitarian liberal political economy. Watson needed to contend with the perceived connection between idealism and German statism and with charges that idealism more generally led to unwarranted acceptance of established power. The State in Peace and War was less a bold new initiative for idealism than Watson's attempt to preserve it as a viable perspective for social and political thought. It was also his attempt to direct the course of history--which was uncertain and very contentious in the immediate post-war period--according to a communitarian liberalism as opposed to a laissez-faire liberalism or a radical adjustment of social, economic and political power. Attention in this thesis is given primarily to Watson's attempt at rescuing idealism from charges of statism, his reconciliation of poverty and industrial instability with new liberal forms of citizenship and government policy, and the popularity of his political project among reviewers in newspapers and academic journals. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).