In this article we focus on the making of socialism,of socialist thought in history,in Britain.The four socialists we are going to present in this paper are not so famous as Marx,Engels or even William Morris,but they played an essential role in the birth of socialism in Britain,and they certainly deserve being remembered.Their names are Thomas Hodgskin,William Thompson,John Gray and John Francis Bray.They are usually referred to as the ‘ Ricardian Socialists.This article will try to examine the underlying philosophy which their economic constructions imply.Revisiting these writers may help understand the notions of nature,reason and happiness that are part and parcel of their socialism thought and their economic thought.