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The Man versus the State

Herbert Spencer

Language:
English
Status:
Complete work
Authorship:
Written by the author
Condition of the text:
No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
Extent:
~71,200 words · 338 passages
Cite this work
  • APAHerbert Spencer. (n.d.). The Man versus the State. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-man-versus-the-state
  • MLAHerbert Spencer. The Man versus the State. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-man-versus-the-state.
  • ChicagoHerbert Spencer. The Man versus the State. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-man-versus-the-state.

Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.

What it is about

The Man versus the State (1884).

Context and history

Four essays in which Spencer protests that liberalism has turned: the old enemies of power now legislate on everything. It is the classic text of individualist liberalism against the emerging welfare state, by the man who coined 'survival of the fittest' — a phrase Darwin later adopted, not the other way round.

Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.

How it begins
During social evolution in England, the distinction between these two fundamentnlly-opposed forms of co-operation, made its appearance gradually ; but long before the names Tory and Whig came into use, the parties were becoming traceable, and their connexions with militancy and industrialism respectively, were vaguely shown. The truth is familiar that, here as elsewhere, it was habitually by town-populations, formed of workers and traders accustomed to co-operate under contract, that resistances were TQade to that coercive rule which characterizes co-operation under status. While, conversely, co-operation under status, arising from, and adjusted to, chronic \varfare, was supported in rural districts, originally peopled by military chiefs and their dependents, where the primitive ideas and traditions survived. Moreover, this contrast in political leanings, shown before Whig and Tory principles became clearly distinguished, continued to be shown afterwards. At the period of the Revolution, " while the villages and smaller towns were monopolized by Tories, the larger cities, the manufacturing districts, and the ports of commerce, formed the strongholds of the Whigs." And that, spite of exceptions, the like general relation still exists, needs no proving. Such were the natures of the two parties as indicated by their orio'ins. Observe, now, how their natures were indicated by their early doctrines and deeds. Whiggism began with resistance to Charles II. and his cabal, in their efforts to re-establish unchecked monarchical power. The Whigs " regarded the monarchy as a civil institution, established by the nation for the benefit of all its members ;" while with the Tories " the monarch was the delegate of heaven.…

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