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Darwin's Theory Of Natural Selection In The 19th Century

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In 1859 the British naturalist Charles Darwin published his research in a book named On the Origin of Species. Darwin concluded that there must be the existence of a “general law” regarding the evolution of species through the process of the stronger species outlasting the weaker species this would become known as “natural selection (Hawkins, 224).” This theory, originated by economist Thomas Malthus, was defined by Darwin as comprising three levels of a “struggle for existence” among life. The three struggles, according to Darwin that every species had to overcome was their environment, other organisms different from themselves, and competing with members of their own species (Hawkins, 225). This led to Darwin concluding that even humans have to face these struggles which meant that humans went through the same effects of natural selection such as the emergence of new species. Darwin avoided the speculation that humans had evolved from other different species to …show more content…

These theorists concluded that not only had the physical attributes of humans evolved through natural selection, but so too had the mental and social aspects such as morality, religion, marriage, and warfare. Through these assumptions came, the theory of Social Darwinism and the followers of this theorem would help shape social and political life in the second half of the 19th century in Europe.
Social Darwinists argued on the basis of Darwin's theory of natural selection that the best-adapted humans rose to the top of social, political, and economic strata. Therefore, they argued, those members at the top of society, either by virtue of hard work or birth, were the

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A 19th century philosopher, Herbert Spencer, promoted the idea of social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is the theory of natural selection to social, political, and economic issues. The social Darwinism follows the mantra of “the strong survive.” this theory was used to promote the idea that the white europeans race was superior to others. Many people who are social darwinist embraced laissez-faire capitalism and racism.

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William Graham Sumner, a Yale graduated sociologist, became a prominent figure in the world of Social Darwinists. Social Darwinism was a theory that tried to apply Charles Darwin’s biological law of natural selection to the human race. Charles Darwin’s idea of natural selection explained that some animals and plants are better adapted to their environment than others, allowing them to strive more than others. On the other hand, Social Darwinists believed these same rules applied to humans and used the basis of his argument to justify the social inequalities during the time period. Sumner expressed his views on this subject in an essay written in the late nineteenth century.

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