The Philosophic Whigs were a significant grouping in the nineteenth century Whig party, who drew on the ideas of the

Scottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment ( sco, Scots Enlichtenment, gd, Soillseachadh na h-Alba) was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century ...

to bring the concept of social change and progress to British political thought.

A middle way

The ideas of the Philosophic Whigs formed themselves in opposition to two competing trends - those of the Utilitarians and the

Radicals Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and ...

on the one hand, and those of the Tories on the other. Philosophic Whigs such as

Sir James Mackintosh Sir James Mackintosh Royal Society of London, FRS FRSE (24 October 1765 – 30 May 1832) was a Scottish jurist, Whig (British political party), Whig politician and Whig history, Whig historian. His studies and sympathies embraced many interests. ...

or Thomas Babington Macaulay attacked the former for an abstract approach to society and a neglect of historical roots; the latter for looking back to an idealised past and neglecting historical change and developmental time. Similarly, they condemned the French Revolution for over-abstraction on the one hand, and a slavish apeing of Roman republicanism on the other. They saw the need to adjust institutions to a changing society as a priority. Thus, during the debate over the Great Reform Act, Macaulay made good use of the concept of historical change to support the case for parliamentary reform: "Another great intellectual revolution has taken place....There is a change in society. There must be a corresponding change in the government". Their thinking passed in to the Victorian mainstream, through figures like

Bagehot Walter Bagehot ( ; 3 February 1826 – 24 March 1877) was an English journalist, businessman, and essayist, who wrote extensively about government, economics, literature and race. He is known for co-founding the ''National Review'' in 1855 ...

and Dicey who saw the need for laws to adapt to changing social structures and habits.

Criticism

Conservative thinkers saw the Whig emphasis on progress – what Scrope called the "progressive and indefinite amelioration in the circumstances of mankind" – as a dangerously Utopian illusion.

Literary examples

John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...

in ''

The Moon Endureth ''The Moon Endureth'', subtitled 'Tales and Fancies', is a 1912 short story and poetry collection by the Scottish author John Buchan. British Library catalogue entry Title In an introduction to the collection Buchan quotes from an article on ...

'' mocked a philosophic Whig for imagining himself the Emperor of Byzantium in his spare time.

References

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A middle way

Criticism

Literary examples

See also

References

Further reading