After Ruskin: The Social and Political Legacies of a Victorian Prophet, 1870-1920

After Ruskin explores the intellectual influence of the pre-eminent Victorian art and social critic, John Ruskin (1819-1900). It explains how he inspired leading activists and thinkers to help reform Britain's social and political culture between 1870 and 1920. They promoted Ruskin's message in some of the key institutions and organizations responsible for forging the progressive spirit of the period: Ruskin's Guild of St. George, societies formed in his name, the university settlements, and the Labour Party. Tracing their development, and assessing their significance, Stuart Eagles describes the nature and extent of Ruskin's legacy. A study based on extensive archival research, this is the first comprehensive survey of the social and political influence of a man revered by many as a prophet.