F. W. Maitland

Much has been written about the life and work of Frederic William Maitland (1850-1906). The following does not attempt to emulate the biographical treatments available elsewhere or the detailed appraisals of Maitland’s particular works. Rather, it reflects upon Maitland’s work as a whole, uncovering its philosophical underpinnings and its reception today. As Kirby (2019) has pointed out, Maitland is renowned for two quite different reasons and by two distinct camps of scholars. He is revered as the founder of modern English legal history but he is also somewhat separately celebrated for his work in political theory on ‘political pluralism’. Yet, Maitland’s dual reputations need to be understood in light of one another