UCC Library and UCC researchers have made this item openly available. Please let us know how this has helped you. Thanks! Title The Theosophical Society and politics: esoteric discourse, esoteric monism, and theosophical identity in late 19th and early 20th century Britain and Ireland Author(s) Colin, Duggan Publication date 2018 Original citation Duggan, C. 2018. The Theosophical Society and politics: esoteric discourse, esoteric monism, and theosophical identity in late 19th and early 20th century Britain and Ireland. PhD Thesis, University College Cork. Type of publication Doctoral thesis Rights © 2018, Colin Duggan. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Embargo information Not applicable Item downloaded http://hdl.handle.net/10468/7896 from Downloaded on 2019-12-02T15:05:39Z THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY AND POLITICS Esoteric Discourse, Esoteric Monism, and Theosophical Identity in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Britain and Ireland Colin Duggan [email protected] Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to National University of Ireland, Cork Department of the Study of Religions April 2018 Head of Department: Dr. Lidia Guzy Supervisor: Dr. Jenny Butler Table of Contents Declaration.............................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... v Abstract ................................................................................................................... vi Chap ter O ne: The Theosophica l Soc iety and Politics ............................................... 1 Western Esotericism ............................................................................................. 4 Esoteric Discourse ............................................................................................. 4 Theosophical Identity ....................................................................................... 5 Esoteri c Monism ............................................................................................... 6 Occ ultism and Perennialism ........................................................................... 13 Polit ics and Esotericism ...................................................................................... 14 Sources and Period ............................................................................................. 19 History ............................................................................................................... 21 Dublin He rmetic Soci ety a nd the Dublin Lodge ............................................. 21 Secession of the Dublin Lodge ........................................................................ 26 Theosophy Declines in Ireland ....................................................................... 28 The Sec ond and T hird Dub lin Lodges ............................................................ 33 Chap ter Two: Universal Brot herh ood and Individualism ....................................... 38 Theosophical Individualism ................................................................................ 40 The Or igi n of Universal Brotherhood ................................................................. 45 Theosophists’ Politics .......................................................................................... 53 Colonial Politics .............................................................................................. 53 Practical Theosophy and Individual Altruism ................................................. 56 In terpretations of Universal Brotherhood ........................................................ 57 Duty in Bla vatsky’s The Key to Theosophy ............................................................. 64 Universal Brotherhood as Practical Ethics....................................................... 67 Soci alism and Brotherhood ................................................................................. 74 Esotericism and Socialism ............................................................................... 74 Harbottle- Brailsford Bright Debate ................................................................. 76 Socialism as Ideology a nd Radical Other ........................................................ 87 Socialism as Theosophy .................................................................................. 95 Socialism as Policy .......................................................................................... 98 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 102 Chapter Three: The Politics of Neutrality ............................................................. 104 i Annie Be sant’s Early Politics ............................................................................. 105 The Judge Case ................................................................................................ 114 The D ea th of Blavatsky ................................................................................. 115 Attacks from India ........................................................................................ 122 The Enquiry ................................................................................................. 131 Aftermath of the Enquiry .............................................................................. 136 The Seces sio n of the Amer ican Section ......................................................... 146 Besant’s Presidential Activism ........................................................................... 149 The Lea gu e of Theosophical Workers........................................................... 150 Th e Theosophical Orde r of Service .............................................................. 152 Besant’s Practical Theosophy ............................................................................ 158 Criticism of Besant’s Policies ......................................................................... 161 Besant’s Guiding Ideals ................................................................................. 167 The Rejec tio n of Neutrality .............................................................................. 172 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 181 Chap ter Four: S uffrage, Gen der, and Esoteric Discourse ...................................... 183 Dis course o n W omen in Theosophical Journals ................................................ 191 Jame s and Ma rgaret Cousins ............................................................................ 206 Esoteric Dublin ............................................................................................. 207 The osophy and Practical Politics................................................................... 207 Feminism and The Irish Citizen.................................................................... 210 Cousins Bound for India ............................................................................... 214 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 217 Chap ter Five: Th eoso phy a nd Irish Nationalism ................................................... 219 Nationalist Theosophists ................................................................................... 225 Russell’s Mystical Geography........................................................................ 229 Cousins’ Mythological Nation ....................................................................... 236 Brotherhood and Co-operation......................................................................... 241 Russell in the Irish Homestead ........................................................................... .. 244 Socialism and Evolution ................................................................................ 248 Russell’s Rural Civilisation ............................................................................ 251 Divine N atio ns and Theosophical Politics ......................................................... 253 Theosophical Identity ....................................................................................... 263 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 269 ii Chapter Six: Conclusion ....................................................................................... 272 Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 278 iii Declaration This is to certify that the work I am submitting is entirely my own and has not been submitted for another degree, either at University College Cork or elsewhere. All external references are clearly acknowledged and identified within the contents. I have read and understood the regulations of University College Cork concerning plagiarism. ____________ Colin Duggan iv Acknowledgements My supervisors, Prof. Brian Bocking for his patience and encouragement, and Dr. Jenny Butler for her help in navigating the submission and examination process. Special thanks to Prof. Paul Ivey and Alan Duggan for their complete reading of this dissertation and thoughtful feedback. My thanks to Rachel Pisani for sharing her research of the Irish Citizen. And to Colm Pattwell for safely