What did Spencer Herbert believe about the survival of the fittest?

Spencer Herbert is closely associated with the phrase "survival of the fittest," which he applied to social and economic contexts to promote the idea that competition among individuals leads to the improvement of society as a whole. He believed that those who are success-driven and adaptive are those who thrive, which suggests that only the strongest and most capable should prevail in society. This perspective naturally aligns with advocating for social policies that reflect this belief about competition and fitness. By endorsing the survival of the fittest as a guiding principle for social policies, Spencer argued against government interventions such as welfare and relief programs, claiming they might weaken societal progress by allowing the less capable to survive. Therefore, his philosophy supports the notion that social policies should favor competitive practices and individual achievement rather than promoting equal support for all. Understanding Spencer Herbert's belief in this context underscores the implications of applying such a perspective to social governance.