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Social Darwinism and Eugenics

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             Social Darwinism in the United States in the late nineteenth century seems to have been the logical path for social theorists after the industrial revolution. The country had just experienced an industrial revolution and business was booming. Of course, along with the industrial revolution came larger separation of the social classes and countless poor. There was also a shift in immigration from western to eastern European many of whom would become the working class. The ardent question then became, what to do with the poor and how to deal with the new immigrants that were mostly seen as less civilized then western Europeans. Another class had also recently been created in the late 1800's, freed slaves. Social Darwinism then became a way for the white middle and upper classes to deal with their anxieties towards the other classes and races. Connecting these social questions and evolutionary theory of survival of the fittest was the answer that was championed by Herbert Spencer amongst others. Another was mutual aid, working together to make the society as a whole greater. .
             How did social Darwinism then become synonymous with science? It seems that many so called social Darwinists were linked with Darwin's theory of evolution. Herbert Spencer had a hand in Darwin's theory of evolution by coining the term "survival of the fittest" which Darwin later used himself. Thomas Huxley also played a role in this phenomenon because he was a biologist and strong supporter of Darwin. But as Bannister pointed out "the early Darwinians were not social Darwinists" and "many so called social Darwinists were not Darwinians." Or in other words, early Darwinians were scientists that backed Charles Darwin's' theory of evolution but did not necessarily go along with natural selection especially among humans and therefore were not social Darwinists. Also many social Darwinists simply were not believers of the science of Charles Darwin and consequently were not Darwinists.


Essays Related to Social Darwinism and Eugenics

1. Social Darwinism

Arguments in Favor of Social Darwinism Social Darwinism is the use of Darwin's theory of evolution on social problems of society. ... Herbert Spencer, the "father of social Darwinism", was a philosopher and scientist who developed his own theory, "the survival of the fittest". ... Governments created Eugenics programs designed to weed-out undesirable genes from the population. ... Social Darwinism also encouraged larger military and foreign expansion, thinking only the fittest country could survive. The Nazi Party in Germany used Social Darwinism to justify their eugenics programs in or...

  • Word Count: 500
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Eugenics

Today, eugenics is becoming more hi-tech. Francis Galton coined the term eugenics in 1883. ... According to Galton, "Eugenics is the study of agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, whether physically or mentally" (Encyclopedia Britannica). ... His theory was that humanity needs an artificial selection process because the natural selection process theorized by Darwin, as the "survival of the fittest" no longer applied. ... According to the DNA Learning Center: The Eugenics Record Office, in 1914, published a Model Eugenical S...

  • Word Count: 1897
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. Natural Selection and the Human Race

Though never applied by Darwin to Social structures, Darwin's ideas were open to interpretation, so the principles of Natural Selection were somewhat modified into what has become known as Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism appealed to the wealthy because in their understanding of it, the rich were simply the fittest, acquiring their wealth through superiority. ... Then of course Social Darwinism was eventually twisted into Eugenics, the weeding out of "undesirables" from the gene pool. Eugenics enjoyed moderate popularity through the latter first half of the century, in the United States...

  • Word Count: 997
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Eugenics

Sir Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin coined the word Eugenics, in 1883. ... Thus, he became the "father" of the field of Eugenics. ... Elements of the American eugenics movement were models for the Nazis, whose adaptation of eugenics culminated in the Holocaust. ... Finally in 1935, a panel convened by the Carnegie Institution, concluded that the vast majority of work sponsored by the Eugenics Record Office was without scientific merit and recommended a halt to its eugenic social programs; though they persisted until severe pressure from the public and association with the Nazi euge...

  • Word Count: 1062
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Racism and Ethnicity

This is where Social Darwinism comes into play. Social Darwinism deals with the principles of evolution, survival of the fittest, and natural selection to human groups. The idea of "social Darwinism" has often been used as a general term for any evolutionary argument about the biological basis of human differences. Following Social Darwinism was eugenics. ... Examples of eugenics are forced sterilization, euthanasia, and genocide. ...

  • Word Count: 925
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Cloning

Eugenics is concerned with the social direction of human evolution. A distinction is made between positive and negative eugenics. ... The First International Congress for Eugenics was held in 1912 in London. ... For example, Charles Darwin's son presided, while Winston Churchill led the British delegation. ... Individual abuses of cloning, however, also have social ramifications. ...

  • Word Count: 2349
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. Downside of cloning

Eugenics is concerned with the social direction of human evolution. A distinction is made between positive and negative eugenics. ... The First International Congress for Eugenics was held in 1912 in London. ... For example, Charles Darwin's son presided, while Winston Churchill led the British delegation. ... Individual abuses of cloning, however, also have social ramifications. ...

  • Word Count: 2354
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. What cloning means in the worl

Before cloning the term used was eugenics. Which is concerned with the social direction of human evolution. . A distinction is made between positive and negative eugenics. ... The First International Congress for Eugenics was held in 1912 in London. ... For example, Charles Darwin's son presided, while Winston Churchill led the British delegation. ...

  • Word Count: 1675
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Genetically Engineered Babies

Darwin's theory of evolution seems to have held its ground. ... For those who are unfamiliar with the term, eugenics refers to a widespread social movement that encourages well-educated, affluent people to reproduce and discourages those less privileged from doing so. The end goal of eugenics is a stronger, healthier, and more intelligent human race. ... Of course, eugenics was clearly disapproved of when it was attempted in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Yet we still somehow find an affinity towards future eugenics programs. ...

  • Word Count: 1694
  • Approx Pages: 7

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