Rebellion as the Duty of Citizens: Harold Laski's Critical Reception of T. H. Green

Abstract

Harold Laski, well-known as an advocate of the pluralistic theory of the state, presented his theory as the antithesis of T. H. Green's idealism. Nevertheless, Laski inherited Green's idea of 'rebellion as the duty of citizens'. Green's influence on Laski has rarely been the focus of attention in Laski studies because the central role the idea of positive duty of rebellion plays in his thought has been neglected. By examining the relationship between Laski's acceptance and critique of Green, this paper shows that Laski's pluralistic theory was developed as an effort to revive Green's theory of resistance.