What did Herbert Spencer mean by “New Toryism”?

In his 1884 work The Man Versus the State, Herbert Spencer used the term “New Toryism” to criticize the Liberal Party of the late 19th century.

While traditional Tories historically favored a military-based social order, Spencer argued that contemporary Liberals were abandoning their roots by enacting state-led ameliorative legislation. This included government interventions in areas such as public health, education, liquor licensing, and labor regulations.

Spencer believed this shift toward state intervention represented a return to coercive, despotic governance—which he associated with the old Tory tradition—rather than the individualism essential to a free industrial society. He warned that by expanding the power of parliaments to regulate social and economic life, these "New Tories" were effectively preparing the way for a "coming slavery," as such policies impeded the natural development of society and restricted individual liberty.1