Quote: "Social Darwinism is the study and implementation of various theories and societal practices that purport to apply biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to sociology, economics and politics..."
Social Darwinism was a belief in the survival of the fittest, which held that certain races or nations were inherently superior to others. This belief was frequently used to justify imperialist ventures.
Origin and Definition of Social Darwinism: The history of the term, concept, and its roots in Charles Darwin's work on evolution as well as its interpretation and application in society.
Imperialism and Colonialism: The political and economic expansion of European powers that led to the colonization of lands outside of Europe and the impact of Social Darwinism on this phenomenon.
Eugenics: The concept of selective breeding of human beings based on genetic traits, which was influenced by Social Darwinism and used as a justification for racism.
Race and Racism: The role of race in Social Darwinism and its impact on institutionalized discrimination and the promotion of cultural superiority.
Social Evolution: The idea that societies evolve in a natural and hierarchical manner, which was used to justify the dominance of Western civilization over colonial territories.
Herbert Spencer: The British philosopher and social theorist who coined the term "survival of the fittest" and popularized Social Darwinism in the late 19th century.
Darwinism as a Social Movement: The spread of Darwin's theory of evolution as a social movement and its impact on politics and culture, particularly during the Age of Imperialism.
The Scramble for Africa: The division and colonization of the African continent by European powers, which was driven by economic interests and justified by Social Darwinism.
The White Man's Burden: The idea that European nations had a moral obligation to spread their civilization to non-Western nations, which was based on Social Darwinist principles.
The Impact of Social Darwinism Today: The legacy of Social Darwinism in modern thought and its continued impact on political and cultural debates around issues of race, inequality, and social hierarchies.
Biological Social Darwinism: This type of Social Darwinism suggests that certain races or ethnic groups are naturally superior to others. It was used to defend racist policies and imperial expansion.
Economic Social Darwinism: This type of Social Darwinism argues that the wealthy and successful should be rewarded, while the poor should be left to suffer the consequences of their own actions. It was used to justify laissez-faire economics and opposition to social welfare programs.
Political Social Darwinism: This type of Social Darwinism suggests that certain political systems or forms of government are superior to others. It was used to justify colonialism and intervention in foreign affairs.
Social Social Darwinism: This type of Social Darwinism applies Darwin's theories of natural selection to social structures and hierarchy. It was used to justify classism, eugenics, and segregation.
Quote: "...largely defined by scholars in Western Europe and North America in the 1870s."
Quote: "Social Darwinists believe that the strong should see their wealth and power increase while the weak should see their wealth and power decrease."
Quote: "Social Darwinist definitions of the strong and the weak vary..."
Quote: "Social Darwinist definitions... differ on the precise mechanisms that reward strength and punish weakness."
Quote: "Many such views stress competition between individuals in laissez-faire capitalism, while others, emphasizing struggle between national or racial groups, support eugenics, racism, imperialism and/or fascism."
Quote: "Social Darwinism declined in popularity following the First World War..."
Quote: "...purdportedly scientific claims were largely discredited by the end of the Second World War..."
Quote: "Some groups, including creationists such as William Jennings Bryan, argued that social Darwinism is a logical consequence of Darwinism."
Quote: "While most scholars recognize some historical links between the popularisation of Darwin's theory and forms of social Darwinism..."
Quote: "Social Darwinism is generally accepted to be a pseudoscience."
Quote: "Scholars debate the extent to which the various social Darwinist ideologies reflect Charles Darwin's own views on human social and economic issues."
Quote: "His writings have passages that can be interpreted as opposing aggressive individualism, while other passages appear to promote it."
Quote: "Darwin's followers... argued that natural selection ceased to have any noticeable effect on humans once organized societies had been formed."
Quote: "Both Spencer and Darwin promoted their own conceptions of moral values. Spencer supported laissez-faire capitalism on the basis of his Lamarckian belief that struggle for survival spurred self-improvement which could be inherited."
Quote: "An important proponent in Germany was Ernst Haeckel, who popularized Darwin's thought and his personal interpretation of it..."
Quote: "...used it as well to contribute to a new creed, the monist movement."
Quote: "Sociobiology has since replaced social Darwinism in attempts to explain human social behavior in terms of evolutionary biology."
Quote: "...due to its association with Nazism..."
Quote: "...growing scientific consensus that eugenics and scientific racism were groundless."