Abstract

The dissertation examines the way in which Hegel and Schleiermacher attempted to reconcile the opposing political ideals of two traditions, namely liberalism and romanticism, both of which were dominant in Germany during their time. These two figures, it is argued, aimed to supersede the opposition between liberalism and romanticism altogether. ;The opposition between liberalism and romanticism which Hegel and Schleiermacher addressed is not unlike the current debate between liberals and communitarians. Just as the romantics were concerned about the loss of community values due to the individualistic tendencies of Enlightenment liberalism, present-day communitarians warn of the alienation that results from the atomism of large-scale democratic organization. Liberals, on the other hand, now criticize the communitarians as they once did the romantics, for discounting the claims of individuals against society in favor of the common good. In terms of this current debate, then, Hegel and Schleiermacher's political theories are neither communitarian nor liberal, but balance the ideals of both traditions. ;In the opening chapter of the dissertation I outline the debate between contemporary liberal theorists and their communitarian critics concerning the range of freedom to be granted for the pursuit of personal goods within the state. After establishing the points of disagreement within this current debate, I turn in the second chapter to a consideration of the romantic reactions toward Enlightenment liberalism. I then turn to a detailed consideration of how Hegel and Schleiermacher, respectively, reconciled the ideals of these two traditions by combining the views of one tradition regarding the basis of political authority, with a political structure adopted from the other tradition. I maintain that insofar as the grounding of political authority is concerned, Hegel lies nearer to the Enlightenment than Schleiermacher, but according to their respective conceptions of the structure of the state it is Schleiermacher rather than Hegel who stands closer to Enlightenment ideals. ;This examination of the political theories of Schleiermacher and Hegel suggests that the problem of alienation which plagues large-scale democracies can be addressed only by retaining pluralism while at the same time promoting primary communities with which individuals naturally identify