Review article

Spencer’s Philosophy of Individual Freedom

Marko Dokić orcid.org/0000-0002-6328-4683 ; University of Montenegro, Faculty of Law, Podgorica, Montenegro

Abstract

The author analyzes Spencer’s philosophy of individual freedom through criticism of socialism and social Darwinian defense of laissez-faire economics and the core values of classical liberalism. His social Darwinian thought is characterized by organicism and evolutionism, since at that time sociology was closely associated with biology. Spencer’s political philosophy is inserted into social Darwinian framework, which enables him to defend free market and individual freedom and criticise socialist tendencies in a time of increasing faith in the necessity of government intervention. The subject of particular interest is the law of equal freedom (formula of justice), which is the cornerstone of Spencer’s minimal state. Finally, the structure of Spencer’s political philosophy, with all its strengths and weaknesses, is concisely presented.

Keywords

Herbert Spencer; individual freedom; laissez-faire doctrine; liberalism; socialism

Hrčak ID:

158723

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/158723

Publication date:

17.6.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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