Men Versus the State: Herbert Spencer and Late Victorian Individualism

by M. W. Taylor

Overview

A study of the political philosophy of Herbert Spencer, this book examines the thought of the man considered by many to be the greatest philosopher of Victorian Britain, and the ideas of the Individualists, a group of political thinkers inspired by him to uphold the policy of laissez-faire during the 1880s and 1890s. Despite their important contribution to nineteenth-century political debate, these thinkers have been neglected by historians, who Taylor argues have concentrated instead on the advocates of an enhanced role for government in economic and social affairs. Offering the first comprehensive view of free-market conservatism in an historical context, Taylor provides an original perspective on Spencer's political philosophy as well as the nature of late Victorian political argument in general.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198202394
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/02/1992
Series:	Oxford Historical Monographs
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 8.81(h) x 0.89(d)

Editorial Reviews

"The best available exegesis of Spencer's systematic political philosophy....Taylor publicizes Spencer's political theory better than any recent source."—Victorian Studies

"Not only does the author make a contribution to the history of political thought; his work should be helpful to those trying to understand issues in the debate between liberals of the right and those on the left today."—The Southern Economic Journal

"His book is a valuable addition to the literature on late-Victorian political thought."—American Historical Review

From the Publisher