Individualism and After: The Herbert Spencer Lecture Delivered in the Sheldonian Theatre on the 29th May, 1908Clarendon Press, 1908 - 36 páginas |
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¹ On Liberty activities Adam Smith appear applications to society Britain capital to aggregation civilization conception of society conviction countries Darwin deeper doctrine of evolution economic efficiency emancipation evolution of society evolution was launched extended fact full meaning functions future greatest Henry Sidgwick hitherto human mind individual organism influence instance institutions interests of society J. S. Mill joint-stock enterprise kind labour launched in England leading nations living long sequences ment modern movements natural selection occupying classes oligarchy opinion organic conception organic evolution Origin of Species past peculiar period phase political present probably progress relation rendering society organic represented sense small nation social consciousness social evolution social organism social process social type Sociology stage struggle for existence systems of religion tended tendency of capital things tion United universal UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD unregulated competition unrestricted competition vote welfare Western Civilization Western history Western thought
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Página 11 - If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.
Página 23 - And this is an everlasting reason why the welfare of citizens cannot rightly be sacrificed to some supposed benefit of the State ; but why, on the other hand, the State is to be maintained solely for the benefit of citizens. The corporate life must here be subservient to the lives of the parts ; instead of the lives of the parts being subservient to the corporate life.
Página 8 - To prevent the weaker members of the community from being preyed upon by innumerable vultures, it was needful that there should be an animal of prey stronger than the rest, commissioned to keep them down. But as the king of the vultures would be no less bent upon preying on the flock than any of the minor harpies, it was indispensable to be in a perpetual attitude of defence against his beak and claws.
Página 13 - Thus in The Descent of Man Darwin appears to think that civilized nations, by their practice of caring for the sick and maimed, are tending to suspend the operation of the law of natural selection in society by preventing the elimination of the unfit. There is no discussion of the organic meaning in the integration of society of the growing sense of responsibility to life which is characteristic of the more civilized races, or of the significance in relation to the law of natural selection in social...
Página 13 - Or I would put it in this way : Have we still to recognize the fact that the individualism I have been here describing has no final meaning in itself, and that its real significance lies in the fact that it is the doctrine of a transition period preliminary to and preparatory to a more important stage upon which we are already entering ? You will admit, perhaps, that these are important questions. If they have to be answered in any degree in the affirmative, those who are still young among us will...
Página 36 - radical to a degree beyond anything which current radicalism conceives'; inasmuch as it looks for changes in the very nature of man; it is at the same time 'conservative to a degree beyond anything conceived by current conservatism,' inasmuch as it holds that no change can avail save these slow changes in men's natures. Philosophers may teach that this does not lessen the duty of endeavoring to reform abuses, just as the theologians who taught predestinarianism insisted on the...
Página 31 - ... said, is often spoken of as the age of the Americanization of the world, a phrase which implies the importance of a particular phase of our own development. There is, however, a deep and true sense in which the next age will probably be also the age of the Germanization of the world. For it is those lessons of which the first stages have been displayed in the history of modern Prussia which are likely to be worked out in their fuller applications by successful States in the future.
Página 24 - ... is to say, the more organic social type. Whether the individual be conscious of it or not, the tendency of the evolutionary process will therefore inevitably render the interests of the units subordinate to the interests of the corporate life.
Página 10 - ... be set out substantially in his own words as follows : (1) The fundamental principle upon which civilised society exists is the unrestricted working of the principle : give me what I want and you shall have what you want. (2) The merchant is not necessarily the citizen of any particular country. (3) It is not the advantage of society, but his own advantage, which the merchant has in view. But the individual by following his own advantage is necessarily led to the best employment of his capital...
Página 25 - As in the case of nationality, though in a deeper sense, the ruling meaning of the social process lies in the causes which are rendering society increasingly organic by subordinating the units to the meaning of the whole and the present to the meaning of the future.