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Social Darwinism Research Paper

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Social Darwinism Research Paper
The theory of social Darwinism commonly refers to ideas that predate Darwin's publication of an origin of species. Social darwinism is the theory the individuals, groups and peoples are subject to the same Darwinian laws of natural selection as plants and animals. Now largely discredited, it was advocated by Herbert spencer and others in late 19th century and early 20th century and was used to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism and discourage intervention and reform. Social darwinism is important because of the idea of humans like animals and plants, compete in a struggle for existence in which natural selection results in survival of the fittest.Herbert Spencer came up with the idea in 1859. Survival of the fittest means the continued existence of organisms that are adapted to their environment, with extension of others as a concept of the theory of eveloution.In 19th century theory inspired by darwinism, by which the social order is accounted as the product of natural selection of …show more content…
Which made people sick and some even die. Social darwinism in the gilded ages took up the language of evolution to frame on understanding of the growing gulf between the rich and the poor as well as many differences between cultures all around the world. Many sociologist and political theorists turned to social darwinism to argue against government programs to aid the poor, as they believed that poverty was the result of inferiority, which should be bred out of the human population. Herbert Spencer gave as an example a young woman from upstate New York named Margaret, whom he described as a gutter-child, because government aid kept her alive. Margaret as Spencer wrote proved to be a prolific mother. In the book the jungle social darwinism is important because when Jurgis and Ona move to America and they tried to buy a house and they did not have the money to do it and they got

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