Wallas, Graham
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[[Category:Politicians and reformers]] | [[Category:Politicians and reformers]] | ||
{{epname|Wallas, Graham}} | {{epname|Wallas, Graham}} | ||
[[Image:Graham Wallas.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Graham Wallas]] | [[Image:Graham Wallas.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Graham Wallas]] | ||
| − | '''Graham Wallas''' (May 31, 1858 - August 9, 1932) was an [[England|English]] [[Socialism|socialist]], [[social psychology|social psychologist]], [[education|educator]], and one of the leaders of the [[Fabian Society]]. He is remembered for his contribution to the development of [[political science]], the psychology of politics, and his pioneering work on human [[creativity]]. He reasoned that people do not always behave in a rational, calculated way, and that | + | '''Graham Wallas''' (May 31, 1858 - August 9, 1932) was an [[England|English]] [[Socialism|socialist]], [[social psychology|social psychologist]], [[education|educator]], and one of the leaders of the [[Fabian Society]]. He is remembered for his contribution to the development of [[political science]], the psychology of politics, and his pioneering work on human [[creativity]]. He reasoned that people do not always behave in a rational, calculated way, and that politicians should, in order to handle these people properly, study [[psychology]]. Wallas served as a professor of [[Political Science]] at the [[London School of Economics]] as well as several political positions. |
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==Life== | ==Life== | ||
| − | '''Graham Wallas''' was born in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, [[England]], the son of Gilbert Innes Wallas, a local minister, and his wife Frances Talbot Peacock. He received a strict religious upbringing, studying later at Shrewsbury School and [[Corpus Christi College]], [[Oxford University|Oxford]] ( | + | '''Graham Wallas''' was born on May 31, 1858 in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, [[England]], the son of Gilbert Innes Wallas, a local minister, and his wife Frances Talbot Peacock. He received a strict religious upbringing, studying later at Shrewsbury School and [[Corpus Christi College]], [[Oxford University|Oxford]] (1877–1881). He obtained a second class degree in 1881. It was at Oxford that Wallas abandoned [[religion]]. |
| − | Following his studies, Wallas pursued career in teaching. He held a post at [[Highgate School]] until 1890, when he resigned in protest to the requirement of the school to receive [[Eucharist|communion]]. | + | Following his studies, Wallas pursued a career in [[teaching]]. He held a post at [[Highgate School]] until 1890, when he resigned in protest to the requirement of the school to receive [[Eucharist|communion]]. |
| − | Wallas joined the [[Fabian Society]] in April 1886, following his acquaintances with [[Sidney Webb]] and [[George Bernard Shaw]]. He contributed to the ''Fabian Essays on Socialism''. He also started to teach at the newly founded [[London School of Economics]] (LSE) in 1895. He married | + | Wallas joined the [[Fabian Society]] in April 1886, following his acquaintances with [[Sidney Webb]] and [[George Bernard Shaw]]. He contributed to the ''Fabian Essays on Socialism''. He also started to teach at the newly founded [[London School of Economics]] (LSE) in 1895. He married Ada (also known as Audrey) Radford in 1897. Their daughter May was born in 1898. In 1894 he ran as [[Progressive Party]] member at the London School Board elections and served on the Board until 1904. He was chairman of its School Management Committee from 1897 - 1904. |
| − | Wallas left Fabians in 1904 in protest at their support for [[Joseph Chamberlain]]'s [[tariff]] policy. He became a member of the London County Council, where he served a three-year term. He was also a non-elected member of London County Council's Education Committee from 1908-1910. | + | Wallas left the Fabians in 1904 in protest at their support for [[Joseph Chamberlain]]'s [[tariff]] policy. He became a member of the London County Council, where he served a three-year term. He was also a non-elected member of London County Council's Education Committee from 1908-1910. |
| − | In 1914, Wallas became | + | In 1914, Wallas became professor of [[Political Science]] at LSE, the first such post at the school. He remained in that position until his retirement in 1923. Wallas made several trips to [[United States]], where he lectured at [[Harvard University]]. |
| − | Wallas | + | Wallas served as president of the [[Rationalist Press Association]]. From 1908-1928, he was a member of the senate of the [[University of London]], and served as a member of the Royal Commission on Civil Service, from 1912 to 1915. |
| − | He died | + | He died in Portloe, Cornwall, [[England]], on August 9, 1932. |
==Work== | ==Work== | ||
| − | Wallas remains famous for his work on [[psychology]] of [[political science|politics]]. He was a famous anti-[[rationalism|rationalist]], rejecting | + | Wallas remains famous for his work on [[psychology]] of [[political science|politics]]. He was a famous anti-[[rationalism|rationalist]], rejecting [[Jeremy Bentham]]'s view of [[human nature]] as one of rational self-interest. He believed that people do not always behave in a rational way. He held that it was even dangerous for politicians to assume that people behave intelligently and always calculate what to do. In his ''Human Nature in Politics'' (1908), he argued that irrational forces like [[prejudice]], [[custom]], and accident inevitably affect political decisions, often much more than rational calculations. He thus warned politicians of the need to study psychology as the means to understand and predict people’s political behavior. He rejected then popular application of [[Darwinism]] to [[social sciences]]. |
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| − | |||
| + | Wallas believed that by introducing psychology into political sciences, the way would also open for the study of [[government]] itself. Since political science is based on an assumption that people behave rationally, and since Wallas suggested that people in reality are not rational, he questioned whether representative government was indeed [[democracy|democratic]]. He claimed that the problem could be solved if people were more [[education|educated]], thus casting more educated votes. Wallas also believed that government should be comprised of specially trained persons who would make their choices based on the latest [[science|scientific]] discoveries in the fields of both the [[natural science|natural]] and social sciences. | ||
| − | Wallas also claimed that because modern societies were becoming increasingly complex, a shift in thinking was needed from [[individualism]] to [[collectivism]]. Collectivism needed to become a principle of every organization. Collectivism, together with education of the individual mind, according to Wallas, would inevitably lead to a "good" society. | + | Wallas also claimed that because modern [[society|societies]] were becoming increasingly complex, a shift in thinking was needed from [[individualism]] to [[collectivism]]. Collectivism needed to become a principle of every organization. Collectivism, together with education of the individual mind, according to Wallas, would inevitably lead to a "good" society. |
By the end of his career, Wallas turned toward the study of [[creativity|creative thinking]]. His famous model of thought contains four stages for creative thinking: | By the end of his career, Wallas turned toward the study of [[creativity|creative thinking]]. His famous model of thought contains four stages for creative thinking: | ||
# '''Preparation''' (an individual assesses his desire, creatively using appropriate tools from the appropriate field of study) | # '''Preparation''' (an individual assesses his desire, creatively using appropriate tools from the appropriate field of study) | ||
| − | # '''Incubation''' (an individual disengages from the creative process; Wallas believed that detachment from the creative objective, | + | # '''Incubation''' (an individual disengages from the creative process; Wallas believed that detachment from the creative objective, "taking a break", stimulates thought) |
# '''Illumination''' (the discovery of the idea; according to Wallas, illumination is characterized by the sudden realization of the idea - "Eureka!") | # '''Illumination''' (the discovery of the idea; according to Wallas, illumination is characterized by the sudden realization of the idea - "Eureka!") | ||
# '''Verification''' (the successful application of the idea). | # '''Verification''' (the successful application of the idea). | ||
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==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
| − | Wallas work provided useful counterbalance to [[rationalist utilitarianism]]. His advocacy of the use of [[psychology]] in [[political science]], as well as the need for the study of human beings, contributed toward development of an empirical approach to the study of human behavior. As a member of the inner circle of [[Fabian Society]], he molded not only Fabian [[socialism|socialist]] | + | Wallas work provided a useful counterbalance to [[rationalism|rationalist]] [[utilitarianism]]. His advocacy of the use of [[psychology]] in [[political science]], as well as the need for the study of human beings, contributed toward the development of an empirical approach to the study of human behavior. As a member of the inner circle of [[Fabian Society]], he molded not only Fabian [[socialism|socialist]] thought, but also influenced the general [[Great Britain|British]] worldview of the early twentieth century. |
| − | Wallas’s pioneering work on [[creativity|creative thinking]] paved | + | Wallas’s pioneering work on [[creativity|creative thinking]] paved the way for further research on human creativity. |
==Publications== | ==Publications== | ||
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==External link== | ==External link== | ||
| − | * [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Pfabian.htm Fabian Society] – On the history of the Society | + | * [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Pfabian.htm Fabian Society] – On the history of the Society |
| − | * [http://www.answers.com/topic/wallas-graham Graham Wallas] – Biography on Answers.com | + | * [http://www.answers.com/topic/wallas-graham Graham Wallas] – Biography on Answers.com Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
| − | * [http://www.bookrags.com/biography/graham-wallas/ Graham Wallas] – Biography on BookRags.com | + | * [http://www.bookrags.com/biography/graham-wallas/ Graham Wallas] – Biography on BookRags.com Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
| − | * [http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/LSEHistory/wallas.htm Graham Wallas] – Biography on London School of Economics website | + | * [http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/LSEHistory/wallas.htm Graham Wallas] – Biography on London School of Economics website Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
| − | * [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUwallas.htm Graham Wallas] – Biography on Spartacus | + | * [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUwallas.htm Graham Wallas] – Biography on Spartacus Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
| − | * [http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/Brain/wallis_intro.htm Graham Wallas' model in “The Art of Thought”] - Notes from "Unleashing the Right Side of the Brain by Robert Williams and John Stockmyer | + | * [http://members.optusnet.com.au/~charles57/Creative/Brain/wallis_intro.htm Graham Wallas' model in “The Art of Thought”] - Notes from "Unleashing the Right Side of the Brain" by Robert Williams and John Stockmyer Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
| − | * [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11634 Human Nature in Politics] – Wallas’s work at Project Gutenberg | + | * [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11634 Human Nature in Politics] – Wallas’s work at Project Gutenberg Retrieved September 19, 2007. |
{{Credit1|Graham_Wallas|93816798|}} | {{Credit1|Graham_Wallas|93816798|}} | ||
Revision as of 21:53, 19 September 2007
Graham Wallas (May 31, 1858 - August 9, 1932) was an English socialist, social psychologist, educator, and one of the leaders of the Fabian Society. He is remembered for his contribution to the development of political science, the psychology of politics, and his pioneering work on human creativity. He reasoned that people do not always behave in a rational, calculated way, and that politicians should, in order to handle these people properly, study psychology. Wallas served as a professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics as well as several political positions.
Life
Graham Wallas was born on May 31, 1858 in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, England, the son of Gilbert Innes Wallas, a local minister, and his wife Frances Talbot Peacock. He received a strict religious upbringing, studying later at Shrewsbury School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford (1877–1881). He obtained a second class degree in 1881. It was at Oxford that Wallas abandoned religion.
Following his studies, Wallas pursued a career in teaching. He held a post at Highgate School until 1890, when he resigned in protest to the requirement of the school to receive communion.
Wallas joined the Fabian Society in April 1886, following his acquaintances with Sidney Webb and George Bernard Shaw. He contributed to the Fabian Essays on Socialism. He also started to teach at the newly founded London School of Economics (LSE) in 1895. He married Ada (also known as Audrey) Radford in 1897. Their daughter May was born in 1898. In 1894 he ran as Progressive Party member at the London School Board elections and served on the Board until 1904. He was chairman of its School Management Committee from 1897 - 1904.
Wallas left the Fabians in 1904 in protest at their support for Joseph Chamberlain's tariff policy. He became a member of the London County Council, where he served a three-year term. He was also a non-elected member of London County Council's Education Committee from 1908-1910.
In 1914, Wallas became professor of Political Science at LSE, the first such post at the school. He remained in that position until his retirement in 1923. Wallas made several trips to United States, where he lectured at Harvard University.
Wallas served as president of the Rationalist Press Association. From 1908-1928, he was a member of the senate of the University of London, and served as a member of the Royal Commission on Civil Service, from 1912 to 1915.
He died in Portloe, Cornwall, England, on August 9, 1932.
Work
Wallas remains famous for his work on psychology of politics. He was a famous anti-rationalist, rejecting Jeremy Bentham's view of human nature as one of rational self-interest. He believed that people do not always behave in a rational way. He held that it was even dangerous for politicians to assume that people behave intelligently and always calculate what to do. In his Human Nature in Politics (1908), he argued that irrational forces like prejudice, custom, and accident inevitably affect political decisions, often much more than rational calculations. He thus warned politicians of the need to study psychology as the means to understand and predict people’s political behavior. He rejected then popular application of Darwinism to social sciences.
Wallas believed that by introducing psychology into political sciences, the way would also open for the study of government itself. Since political science is based on an assumption that people behave rationally, and since Wallas suggested that people in reality are not rational, he questioned whether representative government was indeed democratic. He claimed that the problem could be solved if people were more educated, thus casting more educated votes. Wallas also believed that government should be comprised of specially trained persons who would make their choices based on the latest scientific discoveries in the fields of both the natural and social sciences.
Wallas also claimed that because modern societies were becoming increasingly complex, a shift in thinking was needed from individualism to collectivism. Collectivism needed to become a principle of every organization. Collectivism, together with education of the individual mind, according to Wallas, would inevitably lead to a "good" society.
By the end of his career, Wallas turned toward the study of creative thinking. His famous model of thought contains four stages for creative thinking:
- Preparation (an individual assesses his desire, creatively using appropriate tools from the appropriate field of study)
- Incubation (an individual disengages from the creative process; Wallas believed that detachment from the creative objective, "taking a break", stimulates thought)
- Illumination (the discovery of the idea; according to Wallas, illumination is characterized by the sudden realization of the idea - "Eureka!")
- Verification (the successful application of the idea).
Legacy
Wallas work provided a useful counterbalance to rationalist utilitarianism. His advocacy of the use of psychology in political science, as well as the need for the study of human beings, contributed toward the development of an empirical approach to the study of human behavior. As a member of the inner circle of Fabian Society, he molded not only Fabian socialist thought, but also influenced the general British worldview of the early twentieth century.
Wallas’s pioneering work on creative thinking paved the way for further research on human creativity.
Publications
- Wallas, Graham. 1889. Property under Socialism. In Shaw, Bernard, Sidney Webb, et al. Socialism; the Fabian essays. Boston: C.E. Brown. 1894
- Wallas, Graham. 1896. What to Read: A List of Books for Social Reformers. Fabian tract, no. 29. London: Fabian Society.
- Wallas, Graham. 1914. The Great Society: A Psychological Analysis. New York: Macmillan Co
- Wallas, Graham. 1926. The Art of Thought. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company
- Wallas, Graham. 1930. Physical and Social Science. London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd.
- Wallas, Graham. 1981 (original published in 1908). Human Nature in Politics. New Brunswick: Transaction Books. ISBN 0878554300
- Wallas, Graham. 1989 (original published in 1921). Our Social Heritage. Ayer Co Pub. ISBN 0836967534
- Wallas, Graham. 2004 (original published in 1898). The Life of Francis Place, 1771-1854. (Dissertation). Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 1417944307
- Wallas, Graham, and May Wallas (ed.). 1940. Men and Ideas: Essays by Graham Wallas. London: G. Allen & Unwin, ltd.
- Wallas, Graham, Schulze-Gaevernitz, G. von, and C. M. Wicksteed. 1893. Social Peace: A Study of the Trade Union Movement in England. London: S. Sonnenschein & Co.
Reference
- Becker, Erica. 2003. How Can I Know What I Think Till I See What I Say? Graham Wallas, 1858-1932. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0740735519
- Bevir, Mark. 1997. Graham Wallas Today. The Political Quarterly. 68(3), 284.
- Qualter, Terence H. 1980. Graham Wallas and the Great Society. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0312342136
- Schweitzer, Frederick M. 1972. Two Fabians in action: the contributions of Graham Wallas and Sidney Webb to English public education, 1885-1910. Thesis. Columbia University.
- Wallas Family Papers. Janus Library Collection on <http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=Webpages/Public>. Retrieved on September 5, 2007 from <http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F2911%2FPP+Wallas>
- Wiener, Martin J. 1971. Between two worlds: The political thought of Graham Wallas. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0198271808
External link
- Fabian Society – On the history of the Society
- Graham Wallas – Biography on Answers.com Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- Graham Wallas – Biography on BookRags.com Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- Graham Wallas – Biography on London School of Economics website Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- Graham Wallas – Biography on Spartacus Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- Graham Wallas' model in “The Art of Thought” - Notes from "Unleashing the Right Side of the Brain" by Robert Williams and John Stockmyer Retrieved September 19, 2007.
- Human Nature in Politics – Wallas’s work at Project Gutenberg Retrieved September 19, 2007.
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