Editing Frederic Harrison (section)

== Influence on Literature ==
Frederic Harrison’s political and social ideas—particularly his belief in moral and intellectual education as a prerequisite for democratic reform—bear thematic similarities to [[George Eliot]]’s novel ''[[Felix Holt, the Radical]]'' (1866). Eliot and Harrison were personally acquainted, and she regarded him as part of her intellectual circle. Harrison, a proponent of applied Comtism, argued that lasting political progress depended on the ethical and intellectual development of the working class. While Eliot did not fully embrace his optimistic view of social science, her portrayal of Felix Holt reflects a cautious alignment with aspects of Harrison’s paternalistic ideal of social reform. In the novel, Felix advocates for education before enfranchisement, emphasizing the need to prepare the working class for political responsibility in order to resist manipulation by elites. His opposition to riots and preference for gradual, local reform over revolutionary action further echoes Harrison’s emphasis on rational progress through education.<ref name=":4">{{citation|author=Fleishman A. |date=2010 |pages=140-160 |periodical=George Eliot's Intellectual Life. |publisher=Cambridge University Press |title=The “Radical”: taking an anti-political stance in Felix Holt.}}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>