How did Herbert Spencer compare a human society to an animal organism?

Herbert Spencer drew a detailed analogy between animal organisms and human societies, mapping their functional structures to one another. He identified three primary systems in both:1

• Regulative System: The central nervous system in animals corresponds to government in society.1
• Sustaining System: Alimentation in animals corresponds to industry in society.1
• Distribution System: Veins and arteries in animals correspond to infrastructure such as roads and telegraphs in society.1

Despite these structural parallels, Spencer emphasized a fundamental moral distinction: in an animal, there is a single consciousness for the whole organism, whereas in a society, consciousness exists only within each individual member. Consequently, he argued that society exists for the benefit of its members, rather than the members existing for the benefit of society. This commitment to individualism remained the cornerstone of his philosophy, leading him to advocate for the preeminence of the individual over the state.12