The sun., 1891-06-09
raE cHr1D. THE FAMILY. THE sr1rr
Herbert Spencer Upon tho supersed,ps a,
the Family by the state
m the rdfor or n, ST Jdmsss Gdseir

the Family by the state.
N the Editor or TIE st Jdmess GdGcHs
STR: On my return t, town yesterday ;opna
waiting for me letter from ono of our lerIs.
lators urning me to say something further "a.
specting the dangers attendant on the nrti,,
OF the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty n
Chi.dron. The letter above referred to. drpv.
ing my at ention 10 statements since mada
IN tho House OF orls, still more imtresss,
me with ths miscbiefs which may arise,
Sir Henry Maino pointed out that. whorea,
In ancient European societies the family wn.
the unit OF imposition. gradual changes havs
tended to make the individual tie unit of com.
rosition. Instead Of beirR group despo,icol.
ly governed by the Oldest male ascendant
father or grandfather which the Stat.
did not and could not intrude. the family ba,
become n gronp no longer despotlcally ror.
eined In the old sense, when there was liie.and.
con 10 intrude Into it more and more and 10
tnke cogn zance, not simply OF the group ns a
whole but Si Its indiidnHi a,,nn members men the
This dissolution OF the family has been Ia
large measure 9eneilcent chnnce; but
nr omat new % 10 s0P 8ors n' n ore s Hw 6s
tendency Is 10 absolve r!rents from their
responsibilities. aud to saddle these respop.
twenty years ago:
Ererywhers there 10 = tacit snuncation OF the ma.
vellous doctrine that citizens are not responsible in
divduaily for the bringing up each Of his children
but that those anme citizens incorporated into .or
ety. each OF them responsible for the bringing up Of
everybody eises children!
An then, nitor pointing out that from under.
tnkine 10 rear chldre mentally thu State
caY by SisIns ood and slaihinrae prophes; Sass
in course OF fultilment sooner than expected,
/ went on to say:
We are progressing toward the wonderful notion her.
ths An diuo nrtea IN At
marry when they feel inclined and other people are to
take tho conseauencssl-Ins Study or Soeioooy p SOL
1t 10 surprising With what light hearts people
are led to abrovate the order OF nature and 10
lie on the earth has risen to its present heieh:
under the system OF parental Obligation
sG Gess
hare survived and maintained tho race. while
offspring inadeluately. nurtured have lailedto
feelings which in billions Of creatures thirngi"
s. Hns Sa G S05sG * repes s
cGneryi ihold. contrarlwise. that tho repae. lac.
sponsibiiities will Inevitably cause degradation
and eventual extinction.
g s sa s VIII
sibiities Or toward the undermining OF them'
function: for though. by protecting the cbil.
dren OF bad parents lwho are on the averageloi
cases themselves badi there is some lnterfer.
enco with the survival Of the fittest yet lisa
defensible conclusion that In the social state
gate the rigor OF natural law. But II. instead
Of enforcing parental responsibilities. thereis
there seems 10 have been. mischief will result.
Or, II the action OF the society is car:
5s ear GH from ss USING m ns s Ses %S
10 said to have already arisen. Or il. again in
the Same way that voluntary education has
ciety should become branch OF police. then
there will result system like that which ,ex:
isted among the ancient Peruvians. who had
officers to Inspect households and see that tho
children were properly managed. Unfortu-
natey. very innocent-lookingg germs are art to
innocent: and. as have already said. it will
require great and constant care to prevent
such result in the present case. am. Ell,
your obedient servant. HERBERT SPENCER.
ArHENEUM CLUE. May 2G.