Crafting a New Age: A. R. Orage and the Politics of Craft

Abstract

A. R. Orage was an important Edwardian theorist of craft, developing the nineteenth-century writings of Ruskin, Morris, and Carpenter into a discussion of craft's radical political possibilities as the editor of The New Age. Recent criticism on Orage has described him as either an innovative socialist or a proto-fascist, while often neglecting his philosophical ideas and political context. From 1893 to 1907, Orage's experiences as a teacher and union member, Independent Labour Party writer, Theosophical Society lecturer, and founder of the Leeds Arts Club helped shape his theory of craft. During this time he also formulated a unique moral, aesthetic, and ontological philosophy, influenced by Plato and Nietzsche, that informed his political writings. For Orage, guilds were a radical alternative to industrial capitalism, restoring ownership, spiritual independence, and artistic freedom to workers. Society would also benefit with better quality goods, connection to a living aesthetic tradition, and a greater sense of community. These socialist proposals distinguished Orage from other groups on the left like the Fabian Society, the Liberal Party, the Labour Party, and Marxians, shaping twentieth-century notions of artistic craft.