Quotes by Herbert Spencer

As if in answer to Erasmus' prayer, Spencer does become a Philosopher of the Kitchen arguing that “if there is a wrong in respect of the taking of food (and drink) there must also be a right” (1897)

Herbert Spencer makes a distinction between the “militant type of society” based upon violence and the “industrial type of society” based upon peaceful economic activity (1882)

Herbert Spencer argued that in a militant type of society the state would become more centralised and administrative, as compulsory education clearly showed (1882)

Herbert Spencer takes “philosophical politicians” to task for claiming that government promotes the “public good” when in fact they are seeking “party aggrandisement” (1843)

Herbert Spencer concludes from his principle of equal freedom that individuals have the Right to Ignore the State (1851)

Herbert Spencer on the pitfalls of arguing with friends at the dinner table (1897)

Herbert Spencer worries that the violence and brutalities of football will make it that much harder to create a society in which individual rights will be mutually respected (1879)

Spencer on voting in elections as a screen behind which the wirepullers turn the sovereign people into a puppet (1882)

Spencer on voting as a poor instrument for protecting our rights to life, liberty, and property (1879)

Spencer on spontaneous order produced by “the beneficent working of social forces” (1879)

Herbert Spencer on the prospects for liberty (1882)

Herbert Spencer on human nature and the right to property (1851)

Herbert Spencer on the State’s cultivation of “the religion of enmity” to justify its actions (1884)

Herbert Spencer on customs which are the result of human action but not of deliberate design (1876)

Herbert Spencer on the idea that society is a spontaneous growth and not artificially put together (1860)

Herbert Spencer on the superiority of private enterprise over State activity (1853)

Herbert Spencer notes that traditionally the growth in government revenue has come about because of war (1882)

Herbert Spencer observes that class structures emerge in societies as a result of war and violence (1882)

Herbert Spencer on “the seen” and “the unseen” consequences of the actions of politicians (1884)

Herbert Spencer on the right of political and economic “dissenters” to have their different beliefs and practices respected by the state (1842)