In 'Latter-Day Pamphlets' (1850), Carlyle's social thought took a notoriously conservative and authoritarian turn. What was his primary target of vitriol in these essays?

Correct answer: Model prisons, soft philanthropy, and finding truth by counting voting heads.

In his later career, Carlyle grew increasingly cynical about democratic progress, dismissively mocking mainstream liberal philanthropy and parliamentary debates. He argued that modern democracy was a delusion that elevated the foolish over the wise, advocating instead for strong, authoritarian rulers who could enforce order. This bitter shift alienated many of his earlier radical and liberal admirers.