Hegel's Retreat from Eleusis: Studies in Political Thought

Concentrating on Hegel’s political philosophy, George Armstrong Kelly pursues three lines of inquiry. The first is the broad question of the connection of philosophy, politics, and history within Hegel’s system of thought. Second, the author explores Hegel’s relationship with his surrounding political culture and his rejection of aestheticism for the higher goal of politics. Finally, he analyzes Hegel’s theory of the state, its historical and structural foundations, its demolition by a later generation, and its relevance. Professor Kelly explains how Hegel’s total philosophical method and system convey his apprehension of the meaning of European culture and its links with a political harmony accessible to modern times.

Professor Kelly explains how Hegel’s total philosophical method and system convey his apprehension of the meaning of European culture and its links with a political harmony accessible to modern times.

Originally published in 1978.

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