The Civil War Of The United States

Charles Darwin developed a theory of biological evolution that stated all species evolved from other species through natural selection. Herbert Spencer followed up with this theory by coining the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ as a way to describe natural selection. This theory grew among scientist, but the Fundamentalist Christians opposed Darwinism because it goes against their core beliefs. Some used it as a way to justify classifying some people as second-rate and how they treated those people. Darwinism also played a major role in America’s immigration policy and furthermore is one of the main reason for the start of World War I.

Social Darwinism is a term to describe the idea that humans compete for existence just like the rest of the animal kingdom. Darwin used this term to attempt to rationalize racism, capitalism, and imperialism. It simplifies the human’s desire for power. Now it is widely discredited and scrutinized because its a “ rejection of compassion and social responsibility.” (1)

Ronald Reagan made many economic decisions that supported his beliefs in Social Darwinism throughout his presidency. Social Darwinism is considered to be the ideas of struggle for existence and “survival of the fittest,” a term coined by Herbert Spencer in order to justify social policies. Over time the individuals with superior biological characteristics will dominate populations that this super species possessed. Couples who possessed these special qualities would then pass them down to their offspring, creating an elite generation in the modern world. Dominic Sandbrook the author of Mad as Hell, The Crisis of the 1970s and the Rise of

Social Darwinism is based on Charles Darwins thoery of natural evalution. They based a persons fitness off of weath, social status, and property. Poor poeple were seen as lazy, and less fit to survive. They decided that anyone could have a good work ethic, intelligence, and perserverance. Supported the idea of goverment policies should not regulate the market place or atempt social reform. Social Darwinism was also used by Andrew Caenagie and other Industrialists to support thier business practices.

William Graham Sumner mentions in his book What Social Classes Owe to Each Other (1883) a way to compare the with evolution. Sumner did not see economic inequality in society as a problem. Rather he saw it as the solution itself. Sumner uses the term Darwinism as a contrast to economic inequality in the Guided Age. Social Darwinism, like Darwinism argues in favor of natural selection according to the class that a person is on. Stating that the wealthy were this way as a result of them being the best at what they did and arguably they knew how to “play the game”. Therefore, the people who were in the working class or not exceedingly rich were not satisfactory enough to be so. Inequality on society, according to Sumner’s Social Darwinism is needed for not only society to prosper but also humanity. This way only the wealthiest smartest people survive and the poor do not. This

Just as it seemed things could not get any worse for the workers, the idea of Social Darwinism was re-introduced and gave no help to the workers. According to Social Darwinism evolution was “as natural a process in human society as in nature, and government must not interfere” (Foner 662). This concept concluded that only the fittest will survive and be able to prosper. According to Sumner, taking from those who have done better and giving it to the worse would be destroying liberty (Sumner 35). “The former carries society forward and favors all its best members; the latter carries society downwards and favors all its worst members” (Sumner 35). Many people accepted this idea and saw it as the reason behind poor workers and that nothing should be changed, making freedom for workers

During this period, many Americans, and particularly industrialists and the emerging middle class, came to embrace the doctrine of laissez faire. The poor were so because they lacked ability and determination. The rich were comfortable because of their superior talents and thrift, argued supporters of a new ideology which turned Charles Darwin's theory of evolution into a new vision of society's "survival of the fittest."

Social Darwinism is a theory that individuals, peoples, and groups are subject to darwinian laws of natural selection. Another way to describe social darwinism is survival of the fittest. The strongest and the smartest will survive. It is now largely discredited, it was advocated in the late 19th and early 20th century by Herbert Spencer and others. It was used to justify political conservation, imperialism, to discourage intervention and reform and racism. This theory was used to support the laissez faire capitalism and political conservatism.

Social Darwinism influenced natural selection to social evolution. Unfairness resulted in humans thinking they was above one another. Made the rich seem more fit than the poor, it made blacks seem less fit than whites. (Oakes, 528) Egocentrism doesn't mean being controlling argued Richard. T Ely.

Social and economic problems rose, and there emerged people who tried to solve the existing inequalities. Darwin explained the latter as the survival for the fittest. However, his idea was found

Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, created the theory of evolution. Known as Darwinism, this theory basically states that all species arise and develop through the natural selection, increasing individual’s ability to compete and survive. This paper will outline how Darwinism was used to classify some as inferior, how Social Darwinism and Eugenics shaped the immigrant experience in America, and why fundamentalist Christians opposed Darwinism. Survival of the fittest is one way to define Darwinism. This attitude could make some individuals feel inferior and unsubstantial compared to others who were stronger, smarter, more attractive, and able to respond to change.

In 1861, a horrific war began. Nobody had any idea that this war would become the deadliest war in American history. It wasn’t a regular war, it was a civil war opposing the Union in the North and the Confederate States in the South.. The Civil War cost many people’s lives on the battlefield and beyond. In addition it cost an extreme amount of money for the nation which possibly could have been avoided if the war had turned to happen a little differently.

Social Darwinism was a concept that was an accepted theory in the nineteenth-century. It originated from Charles Darwin, which stated ‘ survival of the fittest’, meaning the poor and weak were going to die and that the rich and powerful received more power and growth. However, even though Charles came up with the ‘idea’ of Social Darwinism, he had other social Darwinists who actually grasped the entire concept of Darwinism and applied it to Social Sciences. Social Darwinists like Herbert Spencer who believed that the government should not try to change any type of social environment because it would hurt the process of nature. An important aspect of Social Darwinism is the Cultural one, which goes through Religion, Art, and music. Religion being something that people in society believe in and followed wholeheartedly. Art has a range of paintings, drawings, and sculptures from artists who were influenced by Darwin. Music has always been a part of peoples’ lives and many different artists that occurred before and after Darwin.

Here, the basis of Spencer’s social darwinism is seen. Those humans who are less intelligent or prosperous are weeded out by the evolution of society.

The globally famous Theory of Evolution was the way the scientist Charles Darwin explained the mechanism behind the development of all plants and animals. This theory is based on two factors. The first factor is that each individual is marked by subtle differences that distinguish it from its parents, which are called variations. The second factor refers to the fact that although these variations before mentioned are random, some of them convey distinct advantages that better equip a creature to survive in its environment, allowing for more chances to breed and pass on advantageous traits to a greater number of offspring (Masci, 2009). Based on Darwin’s theory, Herbert Spencer, a 19th century philosopher, promoted the idea of Social Darwinism, which is a term scholars use to describe the practice of misapplying the biological evolutionary language of Charles Darwin to politics, the economy, and society (Recchiuti, n.d.). The main idea behind Social Darwinism is that people who were economically and socially successful were so because they were biologically and socially “naturally” the fittest. Unlike Darwin, Social Darwinism supporters were not biologists and they completely corrupted Darwin’s ideas for their own social, political, and economical explanations. In this work, I will be analyzing the relationships between Social Darwinism, the theories of natural law and natural rights, and racism. Also, I will be giving my opinion on the matter after reading the assigned