TheBritishIdealistsmadesignificantandlastingcontributionstothesocialandpoliticalthoughtofthenineteenthcentury.Theycontributedtotheevolution
naturlisticterms,butinsteadhadtobeconceivedasanevolvingspiritualunity.InthisrespecttheBritishIdealishtsdevelopedadistinctiveviewofthesateconsstitutiveoftheindividual,andtheyarecommonlyacknowledgedastheforerunnersofmoderncommunitariantheory.FurthermoretheIdealistsdevelopedtheoriesofimperialismandinternationarelationswhichatonceaddressedtheissuescurrentinpoliticaldebateandproposedalternativewaysofconceptualisingBritishimperialismandtheroleofethicsininternationalrelations.Inhisintroduction,DavidBoucherdevelopsthethemesillustractedinthewritingsoftheBritishIdealists.ThisvolumealsocontainsbiographiesoftheBritishIdealistswhichincorporatetheirprincipalworks.
DAVIDBOUCHER,isReaderinPoliticalTheoryandGovernmentattheUniversityofWalesSwansea.