Social Darwinism applied Darwin's theory of evolution and "survival of the fittest" to human society, justifying the status quo and inequality. It influenced businessmen like Rockefeller who claimed their wealth was due to divine providence rather than efforts. This promoted racism and xenophobia in America. In contrast, the Gospel of Wealth argued the wealthy had a duty to improve lives through philanthropy, exemplified by Carnegie establishing many libraries. While having different views on inequality, both philosophies were rooted in Social Darwinism's justification of accumulated wealth.

1. Social Darwinism and The
Gospel of Wealth
Lila Dawson

2. What is Social Darwinism?
• Social Darwinism is defined by Khan Academy as “a term scholars use to describe
the practice of misapplying the biological evolutionary language of Charles Darwin
to politics, the economy, and society” (Khan Academy).
• Darwinism contained views regarding natural selection and survival of the fittest-if
an animal was weaker, it would not survive, with the elitist, most-special and
smartest animals prospering and evolving.
• Social Darwinism appropriated these ideas and applied them to humankind.

3. Charles Darwin

4. Social Darwinism in Action
• Social Darwinism was used for “justifying the status quo” (Brinkley US History).
• Quotes which demonstrate this include Rockefeller’s “God gave me my money”-this
illustrates the idea that one’s life’s achievements came from a divine power, and was
not obtained through one’s own efforts. This can be contrasted with sentiments
regarding the American Dream.
• Social Darwinism applied these ideas to business practices, another Rockefeller
claiming that “The growth of large business is merely the survival of the fittest”.

5. Rockefeller

6. Social Darwinism’s Impact
• The rhetoric promoted by Social Darwinism created an America where is very hard
for some to progress in society, as it essentially promoted racism and xenophobia.
Khan Academy explains that “Many whites believed that these new immigrants,
who hailed from Eastern or Southern Europe, were racially inferior and
consequently "less evolved" than immigrants from England, Ireland, or Germany”
(Khan Academy). These attitudes spread to mainstream America.
• The implications of Social Darwinism had a lasting effect on American Society. The
ideas promoted by Social Darwinism are argued by some to have been what the
Eugenics movement was rooted in.

7. The Gospel of Wealth
• Another school of thought which was prominent during The Gilded Age
was that expressed in The Gospel of Wealth.
• The Gospel of Wealth, which titles an essay by Andrew Carnegie, argues that
it was the responsibility of those who had gained wealth to better the lives of
those impoverished.

8. Andrew Carnegie

9. The Gospel of Wealth’s Impact
• Philanthropy is still a prominent aspect of American businesses.
• Carnegies himself established a number of “Carnegie Libraries” in various
communities, putting what he promoted in practice.
• Today, philanthropy has come under fire, with people beginning to argue it is
performed by wealthy people not to better the lives of others, but only to
improve their public image.

10. Comparing and Contrasting
• Social Darwinism argued that interfering with the development of Social
Classes interfered with the development of society, while in turn, The
Gospel of Wealth argued that it was the responsibility of those with
disposable wealth to better the lives of those in the lower class.
• The Gospel of Wealth was rooted in Social Darwinism, justifying the money
amassed by those in the position to perform philanthropic actions was due to
Social Darwinism.

11. Sources
• https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/social-darwinism
• https://www.carnegie.org/publications/the-gospel-of-wealth/
• https://www.nps.gov/articles/carnegie-libraries-the-future-made-bright-
teaching-with-historic-places.htm
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7097698/
• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-gilded-
age/gilded-age/a/development-of-the-middle-class