IDEALISM AND POLITICS 



VII 

 THE ACCUSATION 



THE advantages and disadvantages of the practical politician 

 in his reflexion upon national affairs compared with those 

 of the political philosopher. The latter must be taken to 

 mean all that he says. Mr. Hobhouse's arraignment of the 

 English people : partly inspired by incidents connected with 

 the South African war, but raising far wider and more perma- 

 nent issues. Summary of his charge (i) against the British 

 people as a whole ; (2) against the middle class ; (3) against 

 the common people. The depth of national degeneracy. The 

 people's attempts to fortify themselves in their degradation : 

 their misreading of political history ; their perverse use of 

 the physical and biological sciences ; and, above all, their 

 recourse to Idealism. 



This picture of the people of England has been drawn by 

 passion, but is not altogether false. The dangers of an age 

 of transition ; but the goal of the transition should not be 

 ignored, nor the good overlooked when evils are exposed. 

 Mr. Hobhouse has told truths, but not spoken the truth. 



The charges made by Mr. Hobhouse against Idealism in 

 particular, and why Idealists have been slow to accept his 

 challenge. True elements in his description of Idealism : its 

 popularity, and the greatness of its influence upon public life. 

 What, according to Mr. Hobhouse, are the Idealistic doctrines 

 whose effects are so deplorable ; and where did he find them ? 



