Richard Cobden, educationist, economist and statesman
The aim of the thesis is to show that Richard Cobden (1804-1865) deserves to be given a significant place in the history of political, economic and social thought and also full credit for a range of statesmanship which went far beyond his well known part in the repeal of the Corn Laws and the Anglo-French Commercial Treaty of 1860. Historians have not sufficiently recognised that Cobden sought to make fundamental changes in British society and that he tried to initiate them by piecemeal constitutional methods. He also believed that the British example would have a powerful influence on other countries and thus contribute to a new world order. Cobden had a coherent, although unsystematised, philosophy, based on certain major assumptions. They were, firstly, that social progress depends on the interaction of economic, moral and religious and educational factors; secondly that progress towards a real political democracy depends on progress in the former areas. A special problem in explaining Cobden's philosophy is the fact that the ideas of two important thinkers with whom he was associated, George Combe (1788-1858), phrenologist (psychologist) and Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), economist, have been belittled
Farrar, Peter Nelson
History
Richard Cobden, educationist, economist and statesman. The aim of the thesis is to show that Richard Cobden (1804-1865) deserves to be given a significant place in the history of political, economic and social thought and also full credit for a range of statesmanship which went far beyond his well known part in the repeal of the Corn Laws and the Anglo-French Commercial Treaty of 1860. Historians have not sufficiently recognised that Cobden sought to make fundamental changes in British society and that he tried to initiate them by piecemeal constitutional methods. He also believed that the British example would have a powerful influence on other countries and thus contribute to a new world order. Cobden had a coherent, although unsystematised, philosophy, based on certain major assumptions. They were, firstly, that social progress depends on the interaction of economic, moral and religious and educational factors; secondly that progress towards a real political democracy depends on progress in the former areas. A special problem in explaining Cobden's philosophy is the fact that the ideas of two important thinkers with whom he was associated, George Combe (1788-1858), phrenologist (psychologist) and Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), economist, have been belittled
economist statesman aim_show deserve give significant place history political_economic social thought also full credit range far_beyond well_know part repeal corn_laws anglo_french commercial treaty historians sufficiently recognise seek make fundamental_change british_society try initiate piecemeal constitutional method also believe british example would powerful influence country thus_contribute new_world order coherent although philosophy base certain major assumption firstly social progress depend interaction economic moral religious_educational factor secondly progress_towards real political democracy depend progress former area special problem explain philosophy fact idea two_important thinker associate george psychologist economist