What was the St. Louis Philosophical Society’s role in American Hegelianism?

The St. Louis Philosophical Society played a central role in the development of American Hegelianism by representing a conservative, legitimist branch of the movement. Founded by the German immigrant Henry Brokmeyer and the New England pedagogue and politician William Torrey Harris, the society served as a primary intellectual hub for those interested in the political aspects and philosophy of history inherent in Hegel’s work.1

The society’s influence was largely disseminated through its publication, The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, which Harris founded in 1867. Through this organ, the group sought to provide a dialectical and speculative foundation for American democracy and offered a dialectical interpretation of the history of the United States. By championing the concept of legitimate sovereignty, the St. Louis school contrasted with the more revolutionary, social-democratic tendencies of the contemporary Cincinnati group. Ultimately, the society was instrumental in establishing Hegelianism as a significant intellectual force in the United States during the late 19th century.12