Economist HENRY GEORGE (1839-1897) was, at the height of his popularity in the 1880s and 1890s, considered the third most famous American, behind Mark Twain and Thomas Edison, and his liberal philosophies on taxation, copyrights, poverty issues, and more continue to influence progressive movements today.

Here, in this 1892 work, George takes on Herbert Spencer, the English political theorist best remembered as the father of the concept of social darwinism... and a philosopher whose basic stance on numerous economic issues differed greatly from George's.

From property rights to the nature of the battle between individuals and the state, George reexamines Spencer's writings from his own humanistic perspective, echoing debates we continue to hear today.

ALSO FROM COSIMO: George's Progress and Poverty, The Science of Political Economy, The Condition of Labor, Protection of Free Trade, and Social Problems.