What Is Social Darwinism?
     Social Darwinism is defined differently by many people.  One example is from the book American History.  This book by Alan Brinkley states Social Darwinsim as "a harsh theory that argued that individuals who failed did so because of their own weakness and 'unfitness'" (528).  Social Darwinism on the website Social Darwinism and Elitism as "a late ninteenth-century sociological theory that was based on the theories of biological evolution and natural selection put forth by biologists Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace and on social philosopher Herbert Spencer's theory of sociocultural evolution, 'survival of the fittest.'"  As you can see from these definintions that the definition for Social Darwinism is very different in the eye's of different people.  The only part of the definition that is similiar is the idea of the "survival of the fittest."  This idea is the main part of Social Darwinism. 

 
 
 
 

Social Darwinsim Today
     In modern times, Social Darwinism was used by the Nazis and by capitalist.  They both believed and followed the idea of the "survival of the fittest."  They thought they were superior to the Jews, so they tried to exterminate them.  The Nazis Social Darwinism applies to race while the capitalists belief is economic productivity.  Capitalist deny any comparison of themselves to the Nazis.
     The idea of "survival of the fittest" doesn't apply as much today.  Instead it natural selection of people in society.  People have stereotyped Social Darwinism as a form of capitalism and socialism.  Some people even think that it is supporting Hitler's ideas of a superior race.  This is why so many people have trouble defining what Social Darwinism really is in society today.  Social Darwinism is look at by some people today as the "survival of the richest."  Social Darwinism is becoming more popular with the rich because they are considered the fittest because they have been so successful and made lots of money.
 
 

 
 
 
 

The Origin of Social Darwinism
     It is not known who created the theory of Social Darwinism, but their are a few people that popularized the idea.  Some people think that Herbert Spencer came up with the idea.  This definition of Social Darwinism came from the website Social Darwinism, "Social Darwinism is a quasi-philosophical, quasi-religious, quasi-sociological view that came from the mind of Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher in the 19th century.  Others think that the idea was thought up by Charles Darwin in his book Origin of the Species.  Even though Darwinism is named after Darwin, Spencer created the term "survial of the fittest."  Spencer even had some writing out on evolution before Darwin did.  Even with all this information known it is still a mystery who exactly came up with the idea of Social Darwinism.
 

 
 
 

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