The Principles of State Interference; Four Essays on the Political Philosophy of Mr. Herbert Spencer, J.S. Mill, and T.H. Green (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896. Excerpt: ... contract (this comes from Sir Henry Maine). The former adopts compulsory co-operation, the latter voluntary co-operation (this, I believe, is Mr. Spencer's own invention). Now the Tories are the party who hold by the former or worn-out type of society; the Liberals, by the latter. So that when a Liberal is found attacking what is called "the freedom of contract," he must, in order to make Mr. Spencer's completely unified knowledge correct, be no longer a Liberal, but a " New Tory." l How is it then, that Liberals and Tories have come to change places in relation to the question of State interference? According to Mr. Spencer, the essence of Liberal efforts has been the struggle for individualism against Governments--not against bad or despotic Governments merely, but against Governments as such. "The abolition of grievances suffered by the people," "the gaining of a popular good," has been merely an "external conspicuous trait."2 People in general have made a mistake in classification, and taken the external trait for the important thing. "The popular good has come to be sought by Liberals, not as an end to be indirectly gained by relaxation of re 1 The Man versus the State, pp. i ff. 8 Ibid., p. 7. straints, but as an end to be directly gained." There is a philosophical difficulty here which needs to be cleared up. I do not see why, because an end is sometimes indirectly pursued, it ceases to be an end, and becomes merely " an external conspicuous trait." Least of all do I see how Mr. Spencer can logically hold such a position. He considers pleasure to be the ultimate end of conduct; and yet I suppose he would allow, like Mill, that it is an end which can only be gained by not being directly pursued. I should be very ready to-admit that pleasure is " an ...