Self RelianceSurvival of the Fittest

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Self Reliance/Survival of the Fittest

• Section 4.2
• Day 8

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Agenda for Today

• Current Event Update
• Negative Ads
• Negative Ads
• Negative Ads
• Negative Ads -
• Brooklyn Bridge Presentation
• 4.2 Survival of the Fittest slide show
• Homework
• Read

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Objectives By the end of this lesson you should
be able to

• Define Laissez-faire
• Identify William Graham Sumner and his philosophy
  Social Darwinism
• Identify Andrew Carnegie and his philosophy of
  the Gospel of Wealth
• Develop your political view on the role of
  government in economics

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Discussion Questions

• What did you observe?
• What justifies who would survive and who would
  die?

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Who was Charles Darwin?

• A Scientist
• Origin of the Species 1859
• Survival of the Fittest
• Natural Selection
• What if we apply this ideology to other aspects
  of society?
• Race, nationality, economics

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What is a Laissez-Faire Economic Policy?

• let it (nature) be
• Government should stay out of economy
• Where would this ideology fall on the political
  spectrum?
• RIGHT

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Is there any justification for such economic
disparity?
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Describe William Graham Sumners idea of Social
Darwinism.

• Definition belief that people in society compete
  for survival and that superior individuals,
  groups, etc. become powerful and rich
• Natural selection
• fittest succeed
• unfit sink into poverty and become extinct
• Sumner-
• American sociologist who popularized S.D.
• Attempts to justify why the rich are so
  richtheyre better

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Describe Carnegies childhood and teenage years.

• Poor immigrant
• Rags to Riches
• Messenger in telegraph office (14)
• Became assistant to president in PA RR
• Invested savings in RR oil
• Began own business manufacturing iron bridges

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Describe Carnegies Gospel of Wealth.

• Carnegies essay that says justifies social
  Darwinism
• Natural aristocracy should control economy
• BUT, Wealthy have obligation to aid the less
  fortunate
• Help them help themselves
• Laissez-Faire is beneficial to all because weak
  links are eliminated, best rise to the top

http//historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5766/
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