ABSTRACT
The English translation of Hegel's political writings provides an opportunity to re-examine certain conventional assessments of his social and political philosophy. Around few figures in the history of thought have the winds of controversy blown so fiercely. Ever since the first World War, Anglo-American idealistic philosophy seems to have been embarrassed by its Hegelian heritage. One could argue, however, with some plausibility that thinkers as diverse as Royce, Bradley, and McTaggart brought more to the Hegelian tradition than they received from it. On key points, especially in their refusal to accept the dialectical hanky-panky about the law of contradiction, they diverge sufficiently from Hegel to make it questionable whether it is just to consider them merely disciples. Nonetheless, the drift of their social and religious views was similar enough to bring them under suspicion of ideological complicity. Actually, absolute idealism was brought down with the weapons of logical analysis; but the zest with which they were wielded testified to the presence of more than philosophical passion.
