Herbert Spencer, “The Class-Bias” (1873)

Abstract

In this early overview of Spencer’s theory of sociology, he discusses “class-bias” or what we would call today “class interest.” He examines how different social and economic groups have a vested interest in using the state to promote their own class interests at the expense of others, such as naval officers, the clergy, shop keepers, trade unions, and employer groups. He argues that each group has an “aggressive tendency” to pursue their class interest and is shortsighted in not seeing how the absence of “class-power” would increase the welfare of all in the longer term.