The organic theory of the State received its most consistent and systematic treatment at the hands of the English philosopher, Herbert Spencer. He described it in his book, Principles of Sociology (1880). Here is a brief exposition of his theory.
2. Individual is the cell of the State.
As the body is composed of cells, so the State consists of the individuals. In both cases the component units contribute to the life of the whole.
3. Parallelism in growth and development.
Both, the animal organism and the State exhibit the same process of growth and development In both, the process of growth is from the simple to the complex, and from the similar to the dissimilar Both begin as germs, and as they grow, they become more complex “As the lowest type of animal is all stomach, respiratory surface or limb, so primitive society is all warriors, all hunters, all builders, or all tool-makers.” The society develops by differentiation of functions and division of labour, just as the animal body has also evolved in the past.
4. Functional inter-dependence of the parts.
In each case there is a mutual dependence of parts. Their functions are interrelated. The health of the body depends upon the proper functioning of the parts. If a part becomes diseased, it affects the health, vigour and proper functioning of the other parts. So is the case of the State. The various classes and organs of society depend upon each other’s functioning. “If the iron worker in the social organism stops work, or the miner or the food producer, or the distributor fails to discharge his natural functions in the economy of the society, the whole suffers injury just as the animal organism suffers from the failure of its members to perform their functions”.
5. Structural parallelism.
Spencer gives us an elaborate comparison between society and organism in regard to their structure. An animal organism has three parts, viz., the sustaining system, the distributory system and the regulating system. The sustaining system consists of the mouth, stomach, intestines, etc. and enables the living body to digest food. The distributory system consists of the heart, the blood vessels, arteries, and veins, and circulates or supplies blood to all parts of the body. The regulating system is the nervous system and consists of nerves and brain by means of which the activities of the different parts of the body are regulated and controlled
The State also has three corresponding systems. Its sustaining system is the industrial or productive system, which consists of agriculture and industry. Its distributory system is the means of communication and transport in the State. Its regulating system is the governmental system.
6. Spencer finds yet another resemblance between the State and the organism Le., in the wear and tear and the renewal of the both. The animal body is constantly renewed by decay and wear and tear Of its old cells and tissues and by the formation of the new ones. Similarly the old and diseased individuals die and younger generations take their place “Thus like the animal body, the State also maintains itself permanently. It is, therefore, ever-lasting Difference between the Organism and the State.
From the points of resemblance and similarity mentioned above, Spencer concluded that the State is an organism, which is subject to organic laws of growth, decay and death. But Spencer was forced to admit that the analogy between the two is not complete, that there are at least two main distinctions between them.
✓ The animal organism is concrete in structure; its different parts form a complete whole. All parts, limbs and cells of the animal body form one continuous and complete whole. On the other hand, the State or society is-discrete in structure; its units or individuals are separate and distinct and “are more or less widely dispersed”.
There is no single centre of consciousness in the society as there is in animal or human body, which Spencer calls the “nerve sensorium”. Every individual member in the society has his own consciousness and can act for himself or herself independently of others.
7. From these “fundamental differences” Spencer must have, logically, concluded that the State or society is not an organism, like an animal, plant or human body, and therefore must have given up his theory But he utilized these differences not only to support the organic theory but to adopt them as a justification for his theory of Individualism. He argued that owing to the discrete nature of the State, it must not interfere in the activities of the individuals, who should be free to pursue their own good as they think best. It is only by non-interference or laissez faire policy that the State can promote the good of the individuals for whose good or welfare it exists.