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In this chapter, I discussed the influence societal developments had on the British Idealists. I here focused on two different factors: the social issues relating to the Industrial Revolution and the emerging class society, and the implications of evolutionary theory. Both could be clearly applied to societal development, but in my interpretation, the Industrial Revolution and consequent class differences had a more practical impact. That is not to say that it did not have theoretical impacts – but I have discussed political philosophies already in preceding sections.
It has become clear that the British Idealists applied their liberal philosophy in practice in getting involved with university settlements and local politics.
With regard to scientific discoveries, and mainly evolution theory, the Idealists sought an application to social philosophy, which they also did in comparing the evolution of species to that of society.
It can, thus, be thought that the Idealists used societal developments such as the emerging class society and the evolutionary theory as a bases for their philosophy, and that they were actively involved with the practical application of this philosophy.