Social Darwinism

1
Social Darwinism

• A Philosophy for
• Early 20th Century United States

2
Charles Darwins The Origin of Species

• British Naturalist 1809 - 1892
• Published 1859
• Biological Theory
• Natural Selection
• Evolution
• Controversy with Religion

3
Herbert Spencers Social Darwinism

• British Evolutionary Philosopher 1820 - 1903
• Social Application of Darwins Theory
• Survival of the Fittest
• Fate of Rich Poor
• Social Adaptation
• Hands-Off Capitalist Society
• Morality in Allowing the Weak to Fail Die

4
Andrew Carnegie Capitalist

• American Steel Industrialist 1835 1919
• Self-made Millionaire
• Admired Befriended Spencer
• Benefits of Unrestrained Capitalism
• Disagreed with Fate of the Poor
• Poor can become the epoch-makers

5
Francis Galton Eugenics

• British Scientist 1822 -1911
• Cousin of Darwin
• Pre-Genetics
• Heredity Intelligence
• Perfecting Human Race
• Ridding of undesirables
• Multiplying desirables

6
American Nativism Racism Early 1900s

• Anglo-Saxon Protestant Superiority
• Racial, Religious Ethnic Ranking
• End to Immigration
• Rejection of Morality
• Glorifying Competition
• Rejecting Social Reform
• Racism Anti-Semitism
• Intellectual Superiority