Social Darwinism was the application of Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection to human society. It argued that the poor were poor because they were weak and unfit, while the rich succeeded because they were strong and fit. This legitimized the success of the powerful and rich. The Gospel of Wealth extended these ideas by arguing that it was the duty of the wealthy to bring social progress through philanthropic works like libraries and schools, in order to give the poor opportunities to rise up and prove their fitness. However, both Social Darwinism and the Gospel of Wealth still viewed poverty as a sign of weakness and inferiority and helped perpetuate the oppression of the poor.

1. Social
Darwinism
Carter Berry

2. Social Darwinism
What Is Social Darwinism?
Social Darwinism was the “Application of
Darwin’s laws of evolution to society” (Brinkley 471).
Social Darwinism emphasized the belief that only the fittest
deserved to survive and prosper and that the poor where
unsuccessful because they were weak. When men became
rich, Social Darwinism stated that it was because they were
strong and that their success was simply the “Laws of
Nature” (Brinkley 472).
How Did It Impact America?
Social Darwinism became popular among the
powerful because it “legitimized their success and confirmed
their virtues” (Brinkley 472). Social Darwinism. The rich
used social Darwinism to support their practices of
monopiles and union busting. According to them their
actions were just “Economic life was controlled by natural
law” (Brinkley 472) and those who opposed it would fail.
Social Darwinism was forced on Americans through ideas
such as the “Self-Made Man” and other manipulative
slogans. Social Darwinism helped the rich continue to
oppress the poor and it allowed for their power to grow.

3. The Gospel Of Wealth
What Is The Gospel Of Wealth?
The Gospel of Wealth is a continuation of Social
Darwinism that believes that it is the duty of the rich to bring
“social progress” (Brinley 473) to America. This belief was
held by many people such as minister Russell Conwell and
Andrew Carnegie. The Gospel of Wealth encourages the rich
to bring social progress so the poor can rise to the upper or
middle class in the future. This is supposed to give the
“strongest” (Brinkley 472) The chance to rise and prosper.
How Did It Impact America?
The Gospel of Wealth led to many of the
philanthropic practices seen by the rich. Andrew Carnegie
built many “Libraries and Schools” (Brinkley 473) to help
the poor rise from their poverty. This more watered-down
version of social Darwinism became popular among the
people as it encouraged them to rise up from poverty and
sucecced. When the poor did rise up, their “success stories”
(Brinkely 473) were used to show that all could rise up.
However, the Gospel of Wealth still held to the belief that
the poor were poor because they were not the fittest and led
to continued oppression of the poor.

4. Comparing and Contrasting
Social Darwinism
• Social Darwinism Taught that
the rich earned deserved
their riches and were not
supposed to look out for
anyone then themselves
• It taught that if all looked out
for themselves, then the
strongest would succeed.
(Brinkley 471)
The Gospel of Wealth
• The Gospel of Wealth taught
that the rich needed to
provide pathways for the
poor to become rich.
• They believed that if the poor
had the proper pathways
such as libraries and schools,
then social Darwinism would
work and the strongest could
succeed.
Both
• Both Social Darwinism and
The Gospel of Wealth teach
that economic and social life
derive from Darwin’s
biological teaching. (Brinkley
471-473)
• Both promoted the idea of
the “Self Made Man”
(Brinkley 472).

5. Works Cited
• Brinkley, Alan. American history: Connecting with the past (Updated AP
edition. ed.), 2017, McGraw-Hill Education.