Liberty and Liberalism
By Bruce Smith
Biographical Remarks on Arthur Bruce Smith (1851-1937)
by David M. HartBruce Smith was an Australian Barrister (a lawyer who is qualified to argue before a judge) and a Member of the Parliament of New South Wales when it was still a self-governing colony before it became one of the states in the federal Commonwealth of Australia (1901). He also went on to have a parliamentary career after Federation. I first came across Smith’s name while doing research on 19th century French free trade thought in the Mitchell Library (the State Library of NSW). One of the issues that had made the debates over Federalism so bitter in Australia was the fact that the state of New South Wales (capital of Sydney) was very pro-free trade, while the state of Victoria (capital city Melbourne) was very protectionist. Unfortunately for Australian economic history, the new Federal government adopted Victorian-style protectionism and free-trading NSW had to abandon its position if it wished to join the Federation. Thus for nearly 75 years, until deregulation became government policy again in the 1970s, Australia was a strongly protectionist nation. However, as a result of NSW’s strong 19th century free trade tradition the State Library had a very impressive collection of free trade writings in both the English and French languages, hence my interest in their holdings. It was while doing research on
Gustave de Molinari and other French classical liberals that I came across Smith’s book “Liberty and Liberalism”. Upon closer examination I realised that Smith was one of the very few (perhaps the only one) Spencerite liberals in the Australian colonies. As he says in his introduction, while doing research for this book he came across the writings of the English “Liberty and Property Defence League” which was a group of radical individualists and free traders who had among their members
Thomas Mackay and Auberon Herbert (whose books we have online at Econlib). Although he was not a member of the League, their guiding spirit was
Herbert Spencer. Smith came to share many of their ideas as the book will show. We present it online as part of our ongoing series of critiques of socialist thought.
David M. Hart
May 3, 2004
First Pub. Date
1887
Publisher
London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Pub. Date
1887
Copyright
The text of this edition is in the public domain.
LIST OF AUTHORS QUOTED OR CONSULTED.
IN order to assist those who wish to verify my references and also with a view of indicating the nature and extent of the materials which I have used, I have drawn up the following list of the principal works quoted or consulted:—
ABOUT (EDMUND): “Handbook of Social Economy.”
Strachan, 1872.
AMOS (SHELDON): “Science of Politics.”
Kegan, Paul and Co. 1883.
ARGYLE (DUKE OF): “Reign of Law.”
Strachan and Co., 1871.
ARISTOTLE: “Politics and Economics.”
George Bell and Sons, 1885.
ARISTOTLE: “Ethics.”
George Bell and Sons, 1885.
AUSTIN (JOHN): “Lectures on Jurisprudence.”
Murray, 1869.
BADEN-POWELL (G.): “State-aid and State-interference.”
Chapman and Hall, 1882.
BAGEHOT (WALTER): “Physics and Politics.”
Kegan, Paul and Co.
BAXTER (R. DUDLEY): “English Parties.”
Bush, 1870.
BEACONSFIELD (EARL OF): “Wit and Wisdom of Earl of Beaconsfield.”
Longmans, 1881.
BEACONSFIELD (EARL OF): “Selected Speeches.”
Longmans, 1882. 2 vols.
BEACONSFIELD (EARL OF): “Life of Earl of Beaconsfield,” by Lewis Apjohn.
Tyne Publishing Company (no date).
BENTHAM (JEREMY): “Theory of Legislation.”
Trubner, 1876.
BRAMWELL (LORD): “Laissez-faire.”
Liberty and Property Defence League (no date).
BRAMWELL (SIR F.): “State Monopoly, or Private Enterprise.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1884.
BRIGHT (JOHN): “Life of John Bright,” by Lewis Apjohn.
Tyne Publishing Company (no date).
BRIGHT (JOHN): “Speeches.”
Macmillan and Co., 1878.
BUCKLE (THOMAS): “History of Civilisation in England.”
Longmans, 1873. 3 vols.
BURKE (EDMUND): “Collected Works.”
George Bell and Sons, 1877. 6 vols.
BUSCH (MORITZ): “Our Chancellor.”
Macmillan, 1884. 2 vols.
CARLYLE (THOMAS): “Miscellaneous Essays,” vol. vii.
Chapman and Hall, 1872.
CHAMBERLAIN (JOSEPH): “Speeches.”
Routledge, 1885.
CHAMBERS (H. C.): “Phases of Party.”
Longmans, 1872.
COBDEN (RICHARD): “Life of Cobden,” by M’Gilchrist.
Lockwood, 1865.
COMTE (AUGUSTE): “General View of Positivism.”
Trübner, 1885.
Contemporary Review: “Progress of Socialism,” April, 1883.
Contemporary Review: “Progress of Labour,” October, 1883.
Contemporary Review: “Shipowners, Seamen, and Board of Trade, April, 1884.
COWEN (JOSEPH): “Speeches.”
Reid, Newcastle, 1885.
CROFTS (W. C.): “Municipal Socialism.”
Liberty and Property Defence League (no date).
DE LOLME (J. L.): “British Constitution.”
Murray, 1781.
DE TOQUEVILLE (ALEXIS): “Democracy in America.”
Longmans, 1875. 2 vols.
DONISTHORPE (WORDSWORTH): “Liberty or Law.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1885.
DONISTHORPE (WORDSWORTH): “Basis of Individualism.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1886.
DONISTHORPE (WORDSWORTH): “Capitalisation of Labour.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1886.
“Encyclopædia Britannica.” Ninth edition.
FAWCETT (HENRY): “Manual of Political Economy.”
Macmillan, 1883.
FROUDE (J. A.): “History of England.”
Longmans, 1870.
GEORGE (HENRY): “Progress and Poverty.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1884.
GEORGE (HENRY): “Protection and Free Trade.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1885.
GILLET (R. H.): “Democracy in the United States.”
Appleton, N. Y., 1868.
GLADSTONE (W. E.): “Life of Gladstone,” by Lewis Apjohn.
Tyne Publishing Company (no date).
GLADSTONE (W. E.): “Speeches.”
Hatten (no date).
GREEN (J. R.): “Short History of English People.”
Macmillan, 1876.
GROTE (GEORGE): “Life of Grote,” by Mrs. Grote.
Murray, 1873.
GUIZOT (F.): “History of Civilisation.”
Bogue, 1846.
HALLAM (HENRY): “Constitutional History of England.”
Murray, 1869. 3 vols.
HARRISON (F.): “Order and Progress.”
Longmans, 1875.
HAMILTON (A.): “The Federalist.”
Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1882.
HARRIS (WILLIAM): “History of the Radical Party.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1885.
HEARN (W. E.): “The Aryan Household.”
George Robertson, Melbourne, 1878.
HERBERT (AUBERON): “For Liberty.”
Williams and Norgate, 1885.
HOBBES (THOMAS): “Leviathan.”
Routledge, 1885.
HUMBOLDT (BARON VON): “Sphere and Duties of Government.”
Chapman, 1854.
HUME (DAVID): “History of England.”
Longmans, 1864. 5 vols.
HUME (DAVID): “Essays.”
Ward and Lock (no date).
HUXLEY (THOMAS HENRY): “Lay Sermons.”
Macmillan, 1870.
HYNDMAN (H. M.): “Historical Basis of Socialism in England.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1883.
JEFREY (LORD): “Edinburgh Review Essays.”
Longmans, 1855.
JENNINGS (L. J.): “Republican Government.”
Murray, 1868.
JEVONS (W. S.): “The State in Relation to Labour.”
Macmillan, 1882.
KAUFMANN (M.): “Socialism and Communism.”
S.P.C.K., 1883.
KAUFMANN (M.): “Socialism—Its Nature, its Dangers, and its Remedies.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1875.
LEWIS (G. C.): “Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion.’
Longmans, 1885.
LEVELEYE (E.): “Primitive Property.”
Macmillan, 1878.
LOCKE (JOHN): “Civil Government.”
Routledge, 1884.
LORIMER (J.): “Political Progress.”
Williams and Norgate, 1857.
LYONS (M. J.): “Radicalism and Ransom.”
Liberty and Property Defence League (no date).
MACARTHY (JUSTIN): “History of Our Own Times.”
George Robertson, Melbourne, 1881. 2 vols.
MCCARTHY (JUSTIN H.): “Outline of Irish History.”
Chatto and Windus, 1883.
MCCARTHY (JUSTIN H.): “England under Gladstone.”
Chatto and Windus, 1885.
MCCULLOCH (J. R.): “Principles of Political Economy.
Black, 1849.
MAINE (SIR S. HENRY): “Popular Government.”
Murray, 1885.
MAINE (SIR S. HENRY): “Early History of Institutions.”
Murray, 1875.
MAINE (SIR S. HENRY): “Ancient Law.”
Murray, 1874.
MAINE (SIR S. HENRY): “Village Communities.
Murray, 1872.
MACAULAY (LORD): “History of England.”
Longmans, 1880. 8 vols.
MACAULAY (LORD): “Speeches.”
Longmans, 1877.
MACAULAY (LORD): “Essays.”
Longmans, 1877.
MALTHUS (T. R.): “Principles of Political Economy.”
Murray, 1820.
MAY (SIR T. ERSKINE): “Democracy in Europe.”
Longmans, 1877. 2 vols.
MEESON (JOHN): “Proper Functions of Government.”
Lucas, Nelson, New Zealand, 1885.
MILL (J. STUART): “On Liberty.’
Longmans, 1878.
MILL (J. STUART): “Principles of Political Economy.”
Longmans, 1871.
MILL (J. STUART): “Representative Government.”
Longmans, 1875.
MILL (J. STUART): “Chapters on Socialism.”
Fortnightly Review, February, March, April, 1879.
MURDOCH (J.): “History of Constitutional Reform.”
Blackie, 1885.
NORDHOFF (CHARLES): “Communistic Societies of the United States.”
Murray, 1885.
North American Review: “Socialism in England,” September, 1886.
NOYES (J. H.): “American Socialisms.”
Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1870.
“Over Legislation at St. Stephens.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1884.
OWEN (ROBERT): “Lectures on an entirely new state of Society.”
Brooks.
PALMERSTON (LORD): “Life of Lord Palmerston,” by M’Gilchrist.
Routledge (no date).
PEMBROKE (EARL OF): “Liberty and Socialism.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1885.
PROBYN (J. W.): “National Self-Government in Europe and America.”
Trübner, 1870.
“Radical Programme.”
Chapman, 1885.
REID (ANDREW): “Why am I a Liberal?”
Cassell, 1885.
REEVES (—): “History of English Law.”
Reeves, 1879.
RICARDO (D.): “Political Economy.”
Murray, 1879.
ROBERTSON (F. W.): “Lectures and Addresses.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1882.
RUSSELL (LORD JOHN): “Government of England.”
Longmans, 1875.
RYLE (—): “American Liberty and Government.”
Longmans, 1855.
SMITH (ADAM): “Wealth of Nations.”
Nelson, 1848.
SMOLLETT (T.): “History of England.”
Longmans, 1864. 3 vols.
‘Socialism at St. Stephens, 1883.”
Liberty and Property Defence League, 1884.
SPENCER (HERBERT): “Social Statics.”
Williams and Norgate, 1868.
SPENCER (HERBERT): “Study of Sociology.”
H. S. King, 1875.
SPENCER (HERBERT): “Collected Essays.”
Williams and Norgate, 1883.
SPENCER (HERBERT): “Man
versus The State.”
Williams and Norgate, 1884.
SPENCER (HERBERT): “Education—Physical, Moral, and Intellectual.”
Williams and Norgate (no date).
STANTON (H. B.): “Reform and Reformers.”
Nelson, 1853.
STEPHEN (SIR J. FITZJAMES): “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.”
Smith and Elder, 1873.
STEPHEN (JAMES): “Blackstone’s Commentaries.”
Butterworth, 1868.
SAY (LEON): “Municipal and State Socialism.”
Liberty and Property Defence League (no date).
SIDGWICK (PROF.): “Economic Socialism.”
Contemporary Review November, 1886.
SUMNER (W. G.): “What the Social Classes Owe to One Another.
Trübner, 1885.
Times (The), 1884, 1885, 1886.
Times (The): “Annual Summaries for quarter of a century.”
Goodlake, 1876.
Trades’ Union Congress (Intercolonial), Proceedings of.
Walker, May, Melbourne, 1884.
TRANT (WILLIAM): “Trade Unions.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1884.
TREEMENHEERE (H. S.): “Principles of Government.”
Kegan, Paul and Co., 1883.
TREEMENHEERE (H. S.): “The United States.”
Murray, 1854.
VOLNEY, (M.): “Ruins of Empires.”
Truelove (no date).
WARNER (H. W.): “Liberties of America.”
Nisbett, 1853.
WEMYSS (EARL OF) AND SOUTHERST (T.)—Correspondence between, on Shop Hours Regulation.
Liberty and Property Defence League 1885.