"The great principle of Western society is that competition rules here as it rules in everything else. The best man - that is to say, the strongest and cleverest - is likely to get the best woman, in the sense of the most beautiful person"
About this Quote
The intent is diagnostic. By defining “best man” as “strongest and cleverest,” Hearn smuggles in a critique of how merit gets measured: not by virtue, not by public good, but by traits that win contests. The phrase “that is to say” performs a neat act of ideological translation, turning a moral word (“best”) into a muscular one (“strongest”). Then he applies that logic to women, who are framed not as competitors but as prizes, their “best” collapsed into surface value. The subtext is bleak: a society that worships competition doesn’t stop at markets; it organizes desire, marriage, and status the same way.
Context sharpens the edge. Writing in the late 19th century, when evolutionary language was being misused to justify inequality, Hearn echoes the era’s fashionable cynicism while exposing its gendered bargain. His clinical tone is part of the critique: when you state the ugly rule plainly, it sounds less like wisdom and more like indictment.
Quote Details
| Topic | Romantic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Hearn, Lafcadio. (2026, January 17). The great principle of Western society is that competition rules here as it rules in everything else. The best man - that is to say, the strongest and cleverest - is likely to get the best woman, in the sense of the most beautiful person. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-great-principle-of-western-society-is-that-63142/
Chicago Style
Hearn, Lafcadio. "The great principle of Western society is that competition rules here as it rules in everything else. The best man - that is to say, the strongest and cleverest - is likely to get the best woman, in the sense of the most beautiful person." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-great-principle-of-western-society-is-that-63142/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The great principle of Western society is that competition rules here as it rules in everything else. The best man - that is to say, the strongest and cleverest - is likely to get the best woman, in the sense of the most beautiful person." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-great-principle-of-western-society-is-that-63142/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
