T. H. Huxley's Critique of Henry George: An Expanded Perspective

In 1890 Thomas Henry Huxley launched an extremely harsh attack against Henry George. The basis for the attack has until now remained unclear. The opening in 1959 of Charles Darwin's research journals, has led derivatively to reconsideration of Huxley's position as an advocate of evolutionary biology and proponent of science and scientists in Britain, and thereby offers new perspective on the roots of the Huxley-George controversy. The reasons for the conflict are to be found in Huxley's attempt to attract British workers to acceptance of evolutionary science, and to market scientists to employers as defenders of order and progress, who should be supported by the public and the public purse. The challenge George made was to appeal for social reform and fairer treatment for workers through more traditional, non-science based appeals. Thus, George accepted the concept of natural order and religion as valid. The heart of the science Huxley propounded had a Malthusian beat, but George, perhaps unknowingly, turned the primary argument of evolutionary science--Malthusian dynamics--against Huxley. George was not only a threat to Huxley personally but also to the enormous efforts Huxley had invested in attempting to professionalize science through the vehicle of having British workers accept the cosmic kaleidoscope and concepts of biological man. George, holding the older human self-image was triumphant in appealing to British workers since his message strengthened the quest of British workers for a better life. Huxley's attempt to portray science as the basis for a new morality failed in its contest with the morally infused political economy advanced by George.