Essay On Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism during the Age of Industry could be seen from two perspectives. There were advantages to Social Darwinism, but as with any form of philosophy, there was also adverse reaction. According to Britannica the definition for Social Darwinism is, “the theory that persons, groups, and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles Darwin had perceived in plants and animals in nature.” Social Darwinism also encompassed the “survival of the fittest” idea, which was where the poor and weak and not suitable to be in society, and the rich were fit to live. Social Darwinism was helpful in that it was eliminating the feudal system way of thinking, and the class system. People could work and earn money, and rise to the top of the social and economic pole, the harder
you worked the wealthier and more “fit to survive” you became. There was now competition to become the best, and the most fit. But a detractor to Social Darwinism was the idea that the weak were not fit to survive and should not be included into society because they were hindering the stronger.
Social Darwinism affected the Age of Industry by striving to restrict government involvement, promoting individual competition and encouraging child labor. Social Darwinism affected the government because Social Darwinists followers endeavored to diminish the government’s involvement in their society, so as not to interfere with the survival of the fittest. Individuals who agreed with Social Darwinism believed the government should be involved as little as possible, in their minds, self help was the best way to live. The government’s involvement would only assist the weak and poor to succeed. The survival of the fittest mentality believed life was a competition, and the rich and fit would rise to the top. Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author and government reformer, stated, “Whatever is done for men or classes, to a certain extent takes away the stimulus and necessity of doing for themselves; and where men are subject to over guidance and over government, the inevitable tendency is to render them comparatively helpless”(Smiles). With the government’s assistance, the weak would be helped, defeating the purpose of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism affected the government, as well as the lives of individuals during the Age of Industry. Social Darwinism encouraged competition among individuals in order to eliminate the weak and poor. The survival of the fittest competition was aways in operation, for jobs, social advantage, and economic gain. Outside of their social class, people had no identity, they were always viewed by their social and economic status. Individuals lives were consumed by the ever raging race to be the preeminent. A quote from Herbert Spenser, who was the force behind the Social Darwinism said, “If they [all people] are sufficiently complete to live, they do live and it is well they should live. If they are not sufficiently complete, they die, and it is well they should die” (Spencer). For the individual, Social Darwinism was a constant life competition. As an result of Social Darwinism during the Age of Industry, children’s lives were dramatically changed for the worst.
Social Darwinism necessitated child labor in order to help the rich stay on top, but it also reveals the self-centeredness of Social Darwinism, and how it is set up for failure. Child labor was a large factor to the Social Darwinism during the Age of Industry era. There were no laws limiting the child labor, the hours a child could legally work, or the working conditions these children were allowed to work in. Bosses could and would beat children, and work them habitually for over twelve hours per day. Yet, another issue with child labor, was adults during the Age of Industry were so focused on themselves and getting to the top that they did not take the time to educate the children. Once the adults retire, and become too frail to work, the children who were becoming adults will be the next in the cycle to start working. Social Darwinism, in the Age of Industry, did not take into account the fact that the children would only be young for a short period of time, and by letting them continue working in factories, they were disabling the younger generation to
succeed. Social Darwinism during the Age of Industry is a controversial topic, it was beneficial for getting rid of the feudal class systems, and motivating people to work hard, and succeed in life. But there was no help for the poor. It was not the perfect philosophy, but a perfect philosophy does not exist. Social Darwinism and the survival of the fittest tried to weed out the weak, so that society would only consist of the ones who were fit to survive. A perfect government or philosophy tries to help the weak and poor, as well as appeal to the wealthy. But there is not one form of perfect philosophy or government on this earth. People continue to try and find something perfect, this is where Communism, Capitalism, ect. come from. Government is run by imperfect people, who are all sinners. Thus, not one perfect government exists. A quote from Ludwig Von Mises, an Australian who studied human choice and action states, “Government and state can never be perfect because they owe their raison d’etre to the imperfection of man and can attain their end, the elimination of man’s innate impulse to violence, only by resource to violence, the very thing they are called upon to prevent.” (Mises) Social Darwinism in the Age of Industry, was not a perfect government system, and it negatively affected the children, the poor and weak, and the government. The only people it benefitted was the rich and strong.