Neo-Hegelianism is a school (or schools) of thought associated and inspired by the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a German idealist philosopher active around the year 1800. During the late 19th and early 20th century, many European and American philosophers revived interest in Hegel's works, especially those pertaining to the importance of spirit, and the belief that ideas and moral ideals are fundamental.

Hegelianism after Hegel

Although Hegel died in 1831, his philosophy lived on. In politics, there was a developing schism, even before his death, between right Hegelians and left Hegelians. Marxism developed out of the latter group.

In philosophy of religion, Hegel's influence soon became very powerful in the English-speaking world. The British school, called British idealism and partly Hegelian in inspiration, included Thomas Hill Green, William Wallace, F.H. Bradley and Edward Caird. It was primarily directed towards political philosophy.

America saw the development of a school of Hegelian thought in St. Louis, Missouri even when that city was barely past its own frontier stage.

German twentieth-century neo-Hegelians

In Germany there was a neo-Hegelianism (neohegelianismus) of the early twentieth century, partly developing out of the Neo-Kantians. Richard Kroner wrote one of its leading works, a history of German idealism from a Hegelian point of view.

Other notable neo-Hegelians

• Francis Herbert Bradley (1846 - 1924), a British absolute idealist who adapted Hegel's Metaphysics.

• Josiah Royce (1855 - 1916), an American defender of absolute idealism.

• Benedetto Croce (1866 - 1952), an Italian philosopher who defended Hegel's account on how we understand history. Croce wrote primarily on topics of Aesthetics, such as artistic inspiration/intuition and personal expression.

• Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970), an influential British mathematician, philosopher, and logician, working mostly in the 20th century. Russell, however, shed his neo-Hegelianism in his early years.

Idealism | Georg Hegel