The Black Books Society Lecture “Lord Haldane: Lawyer, Statesman and Philosopher”

A recording of the Black Books Society Lecture “Lord Haldane: Lawyer, Statesman and Philosopher” delivered by John Campbell OBE on Wednesday 10 March 2021.

John Campbell’s biography of Lord Haldane was published in 2020 and garnered enthusiastic reviews. The book reveals Haldane as a man of prodigious abilities and learning, who made a massive contribution to public life. A successful lawyer, he was twice Lord Chancellor and served as Treasurer of this Inn in 1919. Political high office included seven years as Secretary of State for War 1905-1912, during which he was responsible for critical Army reforms in advance of the First World War. He was responsible for many of the early 20th century’s educational reforms and involved in countless other progressive causes. If this were not enough, he was deeply interested in philosophy and could easily have enjoyed a distinguished career in this field.

John Campbell’s website at haldane.com includes a synopsis of the book, a range of reviews and endorsements and the transcripts of a number of Lord Haldane’s speeches, including the one delivered in Montréal entitled ‘Higher Nationality’ to which Campbell refers in his lecture to our Society.