Social Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society

Social Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society
Social Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory
to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete
inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of "Social Darwinism" we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles
Darwin.
At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikely revolutionary. Born in 1809, Charles grew up a shy and unassuming member of a wealthy British
family. He appeared, at least to his father, to be lazy and directionless. But even as a child, Darwin expressed an interest in nature. Later in 1831,...show
more content...
These better–adapted beings, which contribute so much to the genetic complement of following generations of their population, are said to have greater
reproductive "fitness." Hence the use, and popularization, of the phrase: "survival of the fittest." (This expression is often attributed to Charles Darwin
and, although it appears in the fifth edition of his Origin of Species, 1869, it is there attributed to Herbert Spencer.)
By 'fittest ', of course, Spencer and Darwin didn 't have in mind the commonly used meaning of the word now, that is, the most highly qualified and/or
physically adequate. The 'fittest ' referred to here, are those animals which are the most suited to their environment, that is, those which are best fitted to
survive.
Not only did Darwin theorize that animals and plants evolved into different species through a process of natural selection and "survival of the fittest", he
claimed that humans were animals themselves, subject to the same selection process that played out in "nature". This theory was then applied to
economic life. Attempts to reform society through state intervention or other means would, therefore, interfere with natural processes; unrestricted
competition and resistance of the status quo were in accord with biological selection. The poor were the "unfit" and should not be
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Essay on Social Darwinism
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection, a scientific theory that supported the belief of evolution, was manipulated and applied to different areas of life,
and thus it became the shaping force in European thought in the last half of the nineteenth century. Darwin, through observation of organisms,
determined that a system of natural selection controlled the evolution of species. He found that the organisms that were most fit and assimilated to the
environment would survive. They would also reproduce so that over time they would eventually dominate in numbers over the organisms with weaker
characteristics. This new theory was radical and interesting to the scientific world but its effects reach far beyond this small institution of...show more
content...
These people wanted an economic market that was free from outside regulation. They contended that the system itself, like nature, had inherent systems
of checks and balances. Because the stronger and more cunning fox survives, he passes on his positive traits and furthers the entire species genetically.
Similarly, the stronger and more successful businessman weeds out his unskilled competitors. This allows the entire system to progress and provides
positive examples for future generations to follow. This justification through "scientific law" promoted acceptance because science was held in high
regard at the time. When lectures, publications, and even private conversations tackled the controversial issue of business regulation, people cited the
principles of Social Darwinism time and time again. By providing firm scientific principles that could be used as evidence on popular issues, Social
Darwinism consumed discussions and spread wildly.
In addition to rejecting business regulation, Darwinism could be manipulated to reject the socialist institutions that capitalists opposed. Socialist
programs had sprung up in many areas of the world by this time period, but as R.J. Halliday wrote, "Socialism ran counter to natural law by limiting
the scope of selection and competition." People such as Marx, strongly rejected systems of social classes and sought their elimination. However, the
people who

What Is Social Darwinism?
The term Darwinism had been coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in his April 1860 review of "On the Origin of Species", and by the 1870s it was
used to describe a range of concepts of evolutionism or development, without any specific commitment to Charles Darwin's own theory. The first use
of the phrase "social Darwinism" was in Joseph Fisher's 1877 article on The History of Landholding in Ireland which was published in the
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. Fisher was commenting on how a system

Social Darwinism Flaws
The Big Mistake: How Darwinism's Inadequacy Has Affected Society Since the publishing of the iconic "On The Origin of Species" in 1859,
Darwinian theory has held precedence not only in science, but in education and everyday life. Creationism is ignored on a regular basis by saying,
"This explanation is not within the scope of science" (Pearcey 169). As a result of its scientific backing, Darwinian evolution is considered as fact and
not as a theory. When thoroughly examined, there are numerous flaws that disregard Darwinism in every aspect. Contrary to popular belief and
scientific preference, Darwinism is scientifically and philosophically inadequate. It cannot explain the origin of life, and has displayed disastrous
consequences towards...show more content...
With staunch belief in Social Darwinism and "survival of the fittest", millions died at the hands of men like Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot.
According to Richard Weikart, "Darwinism was a central aspect of Hitler's worldview. It drove pretty much everything he did." (Bohlin 61) As a result
of Darwin's ideologies, former Darwinian apologist Denyse O'Leary stated that "Darwin put racism on a supposedly scientific basis. In that respect, he
enabled the most virulent racism of the twentieth century." (Bohlin 63) With the consequences and inconsistencies of Darwinian evolution, an
explanation that points to an Intelligent Designer and Creator is the most logical and reasonable outcome. According to Jerry Coyne, from the
Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago, "there is little evidence for the neo–Darwinian view: its theoretical foundations and
the
Schloesser

The Role Of Social Darwinism In America
Social Darwinism is based off of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. He uses the concept of survival of the fittest. This was used to justify
class distinctions and to explain the reason for poverty. Modern science declared that the failure to advance in society was due to the lack of self
reliance and determination. They acted down on people who needed government aid. Even during the depression people still believed the notion that
the poor were responsible for their fate. The idea of natural superiority was around since the Civil War. So much so, we thought it was okay to own
human beings.
Later on in history we abolished slavery only to discriminate against race. In early 1900s, race became a problem due to its increasing population of
ethnically diverse people. America was seen as the...show more content...
Eugenics is the science of improving the human race by regulating who can bear children. Progressives saw this as a nation that was going to be
permantly divided by race and ethnic lines. This began the process of Americanization, a homogenous natural culture. Women were often targets of
Americanization because they follow tradition and culture. Children were also a primary target because of their innocent nature. Educators, employers,
labor leaders, social reformers, and public officials made it their goal to Americanize immigrants. The Army began standard IQ tests taken by
immigrants, scientifically proving they were far below white intelligence. Ford Motor Company sent people to investigate immigrant homes to evaluate
clothing, furniture, food preferences, and enrolled them in English classes.
The idea of eugenics made it possible for involuntary sterilization. In order to improve the human race, it meant regulating reproduction. 1907 Indiana
passed to sterilize the mentally insane and inmates. Their plan was to eliminate "defective" genes. By 1960 63,000 people were involuntary

Protectionism is a paternalistic policy that was introduced in Australia; established on the belief that indigenous people were primitive and inferior to
Europeans based on the theory of Social Darwinism the Hierarchy of Races. It was created on the basis of protecting aboriginal people because they
could not take care of themselves and would surely die out. The policy revolved around segregating aboriginal populations from the rest of society,
removing inhabitants from their sacred land and transfer them to reserved facilities that were run by church groups or by the state where strict rules
were placed and enforced upon them, controlling many aspects of their lives, these included control over; marriage, movement, work, earnings, leisure

Pros And Cons Of Social Darwinism
Per www.american–historama.org, the theory of Social Darwinism is the weak were weakened and the strong gained more power. Supporters of
Social Darwinism believed that social progress resulted from conflicts of which best adapted, individuals (or societies) would succeed. Social
Darwinism can be labeled "survival of the fittest."
In America social Darwinism was supported by wealthy Industrialists, known as the Robber Barons which promoted a "dog–eat–dog" way of life. John
D. Rockefeller and James J. Hill, warranted their cutthroat business practices in terms of Social Darwinism.
The concept of Social Darwinism was embraced by many leaders of Big Businesses and Corporations. These powerful companies accrued massive
profits that thrived in the economic system of Free Enterprise which was combined with the concept of 'Laissez–Faire'. The economic system of Free
enterprise enabled American Big Business and Corporations to operate in competition, free of any state control.
The concept of 'Laissez–faire' economics relied on supply and demand to regulate prices and wages. As found on www.britannica.com, the British
economist John Stuart Mill was responsible for bringing this idea into practice in his Principles of Political Economy, which he expressed the
arguments for and against government activity in...show more content...
I think there will always be a fine line to dictate the government's involvement with any situation. Whether they be too involved or not quite enough
will always be a topic. Part of improving the equality with government intervention creating fairness. In a Laissez–faire market inequality can be created
by privilege and monopoly power. Firms can exploit monopoly power to pay lower wages to workers and charge higher prices to consumers.
Government intervention can regulate and promote competition which creates greater equality of income. In the end there is 'fairness' everyone is treated

Examples Of Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a theory that individuals, peoples, and groups are subject to darwinian laws of natural selection. Another way to describe social
darwinism is survival of the fittest. The strongest and the smartest will survive. It is now largely discredited, it was advocated in the late 19th and
early 20th century by Herbert Spencer and others. It was used to justify political conservation, imperialism, to discourage intervention and reform and
racism. This theory was used to support the laissez faire capitalism and political conservatism.

Examples Of Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is based on Charles Darwin's concept of evolution but implied to society. It takes on a survival of the fittest agenda while using
natural selection to "weed out" the weak from the majority of society. The "we" would be white people, specifically white men, and the "they" would
be the people they enslaved or forcibly ruled over. In Rudyard Kipling's poem, "The White Man's Burden" he based this on the people of the
Philippines after the Spanish–American War when America had won. In my opinion, a little hypocritical seeing as he was British and the Brits weren't
ones to talk; perhaps he meant this in the broadest sense even though he was looking at this particular incident which is also likely.
An example of Social Darwinism

Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism
Herbert Spencer introduced Social Darwinism as a supposition that human groups and ethnicities are contingent to the same laws of natural selection
as Charles Darwin had distinguished in wildlife and plants in nature. This idea was endorsed in the 19th and 20th centuries claiming the feeble were
diminished and their cultures demarcated while the powerful grew in control and had cultural impact over the weak. Social Darwinists believed in
"survival of the fittest", a phrase coined by Herbert Spencer. In turn, this created the idea of racial supremacy, the belief that arace is superior to others
and should rule over them, and eugenics, the selection of favored inheritable traits to improve future generations. Darwinism is a notion that specific

Social Darwinism and Poverty
Social Darwinism and Poverty The concept of Darwinism is more mundanely known as "survival of the fittest." That means that the animals that
are best suited for survival, which is best adapted to the society in which they live will be the ones that survive. Those that do not have skills and
abilities which will allow them to live and thrive will die out. Consequently the next generation will be more comprised of far more creatures that
have the more appropriate characteristics. Some have suggested that the ideas of Darwin can be transposed from the animal kingdom and applied to
human behaviors as well. Social Darwinism states that "society advances where its fittest members are allowed to assert their fitness with the least
hindrance, and that the unfit should not be prevented from dying out" (Heeney 1). In order for society to progress and evolve, the adept must be
allowed to flourish and the poor and destitute be allowed to flounder until they cease to exist. Thus the reason that people are poor and others are
wealthy is not because of personal ambition, but because the poor are less suited to the financial and social environment in which we live.
Social Darwinism stems from these initial hypotheses about sociology and evolutionary theory. According to social Darwinism, human beings who are
more likely to survive will do so, including in terms of socialization and the ability to obtain and retain money. Those from the wealthiest families will
have an easier time in

Social Darwinism In Jack London's To Build A Fire
Social Darwinism is a theory by Charles Darwin that people are subject to the same laws of natural selection. Darwin believed that life of humans
was a competition between the survival of the fittest. Along with Darwinism is naturalism. In the belief of naturalism everything arises from natural
properties and causes. Naturalist believe that humans do not have free will when it comes to their lives. The story in this module that I believe
follows this theory and naturalism the most is Jack London's "To Build a Fire". In this story it is shown that the man does not have free will, and his
fate is already determined by nature. In naturalism it is believed that only natural forces operate in the world. In "To Build a Fire" the main character,

Social Darwinism Essay
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the world had started to change rapidly with advances in technology and science, as well as changes in
society, literature, and the arts. The late nineteenth century saw the beginnings of the naturalistic literary movement, with literature that tended to focus
on accurately depicting everyday life and not glamorizing or avoiding any repulsive aspects. This was influenced greatly by the discoveries of Charles
Darwin and his theory of evolution by means of natural selection, and this led to the popularization of the concept of Social Darwinism, which applied
Darwin's theory to social, political, and economic issues. Social Darwinism applies the concept of "survival of the fittest" to society and states...show
more content...
These changes happening in the world were major influences on Norris and his writing, and it was through his education that he received most of the
influence that inspired his works. Frank Norris was born in Chicago, but moved to San Francisco, where McTeague takes place, as a teenager. In
1887, Norris went to Paris to study painting at the Atelier Julien Art School, but returned to San Francisco after two years, and after this, he began to
pursue writing while studying at the University of California at Berkeley. At Berkeley, he was introduced to the ideas of literary naturalism and Social
Darwinism, both of which heavily influenced the themes found in McTeague. The findings of Charles Darwin, combined with the increased popularity
of naturalism among writers, were very influential in popularizing the idea of Social Darwinism, as "for Norris and other naturalists, evolution
undercut the idea of free will, suggesting that human behavior was controlled by forces of heredity and instinct that were beyond individuals' control"
(Brucker). These influences were the driving force behind the themes in the novel McTeague, a novel in which Norris intended to give a realistic
portrayal of everyday life in late nineteenth century San

What Is An Example Of Social Darwinism
White supremacy is, arguably, an excellent example of social darwinism. A common belief among white supremacists is that some cultures (i.e. that of
white Americans or Europeans) are simply better set off to thrive in modern–day society and economy. They argue that because other cultures (that of
black Americans, latino Americans, or any that aren't affluent white or perhaps Asian) seemingly cannot "adapt", then this is what makeswhite people
so superior to others. Like social darwinism, this idea advises against helping or providing aid to lower classes, believing that this would interfere with
a natural process, and ignores any other causes of that class/culture being

Effects of Social Darwinism Essay
Introduction
The Effects of Social Darwinism on the social trends of the 19th century.
"As a world view, Darwinism cannot of course be refuted, since Faith is, always has been, and always will be, stronger than facts. " – Francis P. Yockey
Social Darwinism is a theory that competition among all individuals, groups, nations or ideas drives social evolution in human societies. The term
draws upon Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, where competition between individual organisms drives biological evolutionary change
through the survival of the fittest. The term was popularized in 1944 by the American historian Richard Hofstadter, and has generally been used by
critics rather than advocates of what the term is supposed to...show more content...
The first advocate of the social Darwinism theory had a major impact on the American society as a whole, starting from economic bases, to the big
business minds of the time. In the United States, Spencer gained considerable support among intellectuals and some businessmen, including steel
manufacturer Andrew Carnegie, who served as Spencer's host during his visit to the United States in 1883. The most prominent American social
Darwinist of the 1880s was William Graham Sumner, who on several occasions told audiences that there was no alternative to the "survival of the
fittest" theory. Critics of social Darwinism seized on these comments to argue that Sumner advocated a "dog–eat–dog" philosophy of human behavior
that justified oppressive social policies. Some later historians have argued that Sumner's critics took his statements out of context and misrepresented
his views.
This picture depicts the idea behind social Darwinism. IT is a powerful society in which keeps the wealthy, and powerful and kicks out the minority,
poor folks who are no longer able to survive in such a materialistic world.
Chapter 2: Major Social Trends of the 19th Century There were many aspects of the American life during the 19th century that have changed
significantly from the times beforehand. Whether it be from economic policies, religious ideals, or political platforms, there were so many changes
being made,

Darwin and Evolution are inextricably linked in the minds of most people who have had the opportunity to study them in basic biology. However,
Darwin's theories of selection and survival of the fittest have been applied to moral, economic, political, and other cultural aspects of society. Dennett
briefly touched on some of the political and social ramifications of Darwin's theories in the final chapter of Darwin's Dangerous Idea. Other
philosophers and thinkers have also adapted Darwin's evolutionary ideas, in order to apply them in a societal or cultural context. One great example of
this adaptation of the biological concept of evolution, is the appearance of Social Darwinism during the 19th century.
Social Darwinism, by definition,...show more content...
Spencer's theory was applied in order to oppose social reform and government intervention in the private business sector. (2)
From Capitalism, came an opposing theory known as Communism. Communism is "the doctrine of the conditions of the liberation of the proletariat."
(3) The proletariat is best described as the working class. Their formation was precipitated by the Industrial Revolution, which took place in England
during the 18th century. Communism promoted the empowerment of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie, in order to gain class equality.
Throughout Dennett's work he applies the metaphor of "cranes versus skyhooks" to explain Darwin's theory versus other competing theories. A
"crane" according to Dennett acts as a device or "good trick" which builds on an existing foundation in order to speed up design. A "skyhook" is
something which is pre–existing. It is mysterious and unfounded; not necessarily a part of the design. (4) With respect to the use of Social Darwinism
promoting Laissez Faire Capitalism versus Communism, Capitalism acts as a crane and Communism as a skyhook.
More specifically, the main principle of Capitalism is a crane, and the main principle of Communism is a skyhook. Capitalism promotes the concept of
equal opportunity, and feeds off of the notion that some people will, by design, be better than others. Communism, however, promotes a society in
which all people are socio–economically equal no matter how hard they

Social Darwinism In Africa
Before 1750 no European had dared to go down into Africa, consequently for the fear of catching some sort of disease. But why did the Western
Europeans begin to imperialize in the 1800s when they had already taken over the India and much of the eastern continent. Imperialism in Africa really
started with the idea of Social Darwinism, the need for raw materials and the fact that they had become technologically advanced. Social Darwinism is
the thought that a certain race has evolved faster and better than the other, moreover, the lecture of Oxford University by John Ruskin proves that
Darwinism is key to imperialism, he states, "England must either do or perish; she must found colonies as fast and as fat as she is able, formed of her
most energetic

Research Paper On Social Darwinism
Introduction
Social Darwinism is a quasi–philosophical, quasi–religious, quasi–sociological view that came from the mind of Herbert Spencer, an English
philosopher in the 19th century. It did not achieve wide acceptance in England or Europe, but flourished in this country, as is true of many ideologies,
religions, and philosophies. A good summary of SocialDarwinism is by Johnson:
In these years, when Darwin's Origin of Species, popularized by Herbert Spencer as "the survival of the fittest, " and applied to races as
well as species in a vulgarized form, Social Darwinism, the coming Christian triumph was presented as an Anglo–Saxon Protestant one.
Social Darwinism is by no means dead, for vestiges of it can be found in the...show more content...
(That is, they were not of the same kind, type or variety.)
What this seemed to mean to Darwin was biological evolution. Organisms better suited to their environment gained some survival advantage and
passed their genetically transmitted advantages to their offsprings. Darwin thought that this process was extremely slow and even. In fact, we
became aware that it is neither slow nor even: there are examples of a good deal of change in a short period of time; and there are examples of very
little change over a long period of time. Nor did Darwin understand the mechanism by which the transmission took place. This was to be figured out
by Gregor Mendel, Thomas Hunt Morgan, DeVries and in our own time, Watson and Crick who deduced the spiral shape of the DNA molecule.
Darwin's discoveries struck his native England, as well as Europe, and this country with an enormous impact. They ran into total conflict with the idea
of special creation, which one can find in the Book of Genesis, especially Chapter I and II. The emotional impact of Darwin's discoveries have not
abated.
The Misapplication of a Biological Theory
But, for our purposes, it is the use to which some people made of biological evolution which concerns us. Some simplified the idea to "survival of
the fittest." Others believed that an identical process took place among human beings. They believed that white Protestant Europeans had evolved

Social Colonialism And Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism was a sociological theory that merged Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and the work of Herbert Spencer, Malthus, and
other scientific and sociological theorists to justify imperialism, racism, and conservative economic policies. The overall acceptance of the power of
nature in defining human beings developed during the 18th century Enlightenment. Europe's exploration not only brought about immense economic
and agricultural growth, but also exposed them to "human behavior and life patterns within environments and under circumstances dramatically
different than their own" (4). The most popular catch phrases of Darwinism, "struggle for existence" and "survival of the fittest", when applied to the
life of man in society, suggested that nature would provide that the best competitors in a competitive situation would win, and that this process would
lead to continuing improvement" (6. Hoft). This misinterpreted sense of superiority engulfed much of society at the time and was used to justify the
logistics behind certain actions regarding capitalism, racism, and imperialism. Furthermore, it served as the backbone of some of the most heinous acts
imaginable including the genocide and sterilization of certain groups of people.
"The first business of a colonist is to clear the country of wild beasts, and the most noxious of all wild beasts is the wild man", unknown (87). Social
Darwinism was the product of late nineteenth–century economic and political

Social Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society

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Social Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society