Thomas Hobhouse's The Heart Of Liberalism

This analysis will critically review chapter six ‘The Heart of Liberalism’ of ‘Liberalism’ by Hobhouse (1911), in which he states his main principles and arguments on his idea of social liberalism. To him, this ideology should evolve and develop with time to fulfil the needs of society, so it can be seen as an expansion to John Stuart Mill’s view of classical liberalism (1859, pg.8). The main argument Hobhouse presents is the concept of organicism in society and its strong link with the individuals living in it, thus they are interconnected. Furthermore, the idea of equality of opportunity for people occurs through state intervention, which he argues does not mean the loss of liberty, contradicting Mill’s view of limiting state power. The arguments presented in this chapter will also be analysed with the work of Andrew Vincent to find support or criticism for it. …show more content…
He uses the example of the human body to explain the organic link between an individual and society, as human organs are dependent on each other to function and cannot on its own without the other, this is the same for individuals within a society. They depend on each other for their own functions and in turn the rest of society functions to its best through respect and co-operation with each other. This connection shapes the individual, as without others they would neither have identity nor freedom. Similarly, one’s rights and privileges are defined in the understanding of the common good, which is essentially the welfare of every member who constitutes a society. Thus, each individual is free to pursue their best interest, as long as it aligns with the interest of others, therefore resulting in the benefit of the whole society and serving the common