Hegel, Marx, and the English state

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In this revised intellectual portrait of Hegel and Marx, David MacGregor challenges standard interpretations of their political theory by examining the nature of the state in capitalist society. The book uniquely contextualizes Marx's and Hegel's political thought within their social and historical environments. It uncovers the revolutionary aspects of Hegel's social theory and the Hegelian influences on Marx's analysis of the English state in Capital. MacGregor illustrates how the transformation of the Victorian state in the nineteenth century prompted Marx to revisit Hegelian arguments he had previously set aside, particularly regarding politics and social class, which shaped Marx's perspective on capitalist and working-class opposition to government reforms. He critiques views that depict state action merely as a tool for capitalist and patriarchal interests. The significance of child labor during the industrialization of Hegel's and Marx's era is highlighted, arguing that "alienation" reflects a labor force comprising socially powerless children and women. This context underscores the importance of the English Factory Acts in workers' lives, a point recognized by Marx but overlooked by his followers. The discussion concludes with an evaluation of contemporary debates about the state and civil society, linking these discussions to Hegel's vision of the rational state.