i.] ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM. 11 



is doing his best to restrict my freedom, by increasing 

 the burden of taxation for the support of gaols and 

 workhouses, which I have to pay. 



The higher the state of civilization, the more completely 

 do the actions of one member of the social body influence 

 all the rest, and the less possible is it for any one man to 

 do a wrong thing without interfering, more or less, with 

 the freedom of all his fellow-citizens. So that, even upon 

 the narrowest view of the functions of the State, it must 

 be admitted to have wider powers than the advocates of 

 the police theory are disposed to admit. 



It is urged, I am aware, that if the right of the State 

 to step beyond the assigned limits is admitted at all, 

 there is no stopping ; and that the principle which justi- 

 fies the State in enforcing vaccination or education, will 

 also justify it in prescribing my religious belief, or my 

 mode of carrying on my trade or profession ; in deter- 

 mining the number of courses I have for dinner, or the 

 pattern of my waistcoat. 



But surely the answer is obvious that, on similar 

 grounds, the right of a man to eat when he is hungry 

 might be disputed, because if you once allow that he may 

 eat at all, there is no stopping him until he gorges 

 himself, and suffers all the ills of a surfeit. In practice, 

 the man leaves off when reason tells him he has had 

 enough ; and, in a properly organized State, the Govern- 

 ment, being nothing but the corporate reason of the 

 community, will soon find out when State interference 

 has been carried far enough. And, so far as my 

 acquaintance .with those who carry on the business of 

 Government goes, I must say that I find them far less 

 eager to interfere with the people, than the people are to 

 be interfered with. And the reason is obvious. The 

 people are keenly sensible of particular evils, and, like a 

 man suffering from pain, desire an immediate remedy. 



