Abstract
Aherne argues that Coleridge’s political thought was deeply concerned with religion: he wanted to encourage a religious and moral approach to political debate, and this had a profound, shaping effect on political commentary. His analysis of and suggestions for improving the political composition of the country in On the Constitution of Church and State were prophetic: his mature political thought is remarkably congruous with many ‘standard’ Victorian theories and the political ideals of Coleridge’s ‘Clerisy’ became the political ideals of the age. The chapter examines the religious and moral unity of the state before discussing the political implications of Coleridge’s effect on the Victorian church; lastly, Coleridge’s vital but often-neglected position on political economy is considered.
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Aherne, P. (2018). The Religion of Politics: The State, the Church, and Political Economy. In: The Coleridge Legacy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95858-3_7
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