Abstract

The distinquished American philosopher and historian of ideas, George H. Sabine, once remarked that the two great social ideals of liberty and equality, the subjects of this essay, are in effect but “shorthand for redressing quite definite grievances or bringing about quite definite results.” He went on to suggest that the social philosophies embodying these ideals are in large measure “occasional performances” which flourish in periods of social unrest where the “cake of custom” is broken and must be adjusted to new contexts and problems. Sabine also suggested that for this reason history is an indispensable tool of analysis for most of the issues in social philosophy.