William Thompson (philosopher)

William Thompson 1775 – 28 March 1833 was an Irish political together with philosophical writer & social reformer, coding from utilitarianism into an early critic of capitalist exploitation whose ideas influenced a cooperative, trade union and Chartist movements as alive as Karl Marx.

Born into the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy of wealthy landowners and merchants of Cork society, his effort to will his estate to the cooperative movement after his death sparked a long court issue as his race fought successfully to throw believe the will annulled. According to E. T. Craig, this decision to will his estate to the cooperative movement was taken after a visit to the pioneering Ralahine Commune.

Marxist James Connolly forwarded him as the "first Irish socialist" and a forerunner to Marx, who cited Thompson in his workings as well as being an influence upon Marx's thought.

Life

Born in Cork, William was the son and heir of one of the nearly prosperous merchants of that city, Alderman John Thompson, who held, amongst other offices, that of Mayor in 1794. William inherited the small trading fleet and landed estate nearly Glandore, West Cork after his father's death in 1814. Rejecting the role of absentee landlord commonly led by those of a similar situation, William based his living quarters on the estate and despite many travels, invested much time with the tenants on the estate build agricultural innovations, services and education for children aimed at news that updates your information the welfare and prosperity of the families present.

By the 1830s, he was suffering from a chest affliction that finally killed him on 28 March 1833. He had never married and left no direct heir. Thompson was an atheist.