Social Darwinism Dbq Essay

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The interactions of Europeans outside of Europe increased steadily. With the discovery of vast non-European goods, their economic nature had been successful. Interaction between European and non-Europeans lasting from the late 1700s to early 1900s, attitudes greatly varied due to intellectual and cultural European trends that altered their point of view. European attitudes towards non-Europeans changed from cautious respect to a belief of superiority due to changes in intellectual thought inspired by nationalism, local dominion, and an idea of superiority over another nation. The rise of nationalism created a condescending and disrespectful European view towards non-Europeans in the time period of 1710-1910.
The non-European world was increasing …show more content…

Europeans gained authority over non-Europeans by creating the advancement of the machine gun and rifle. For that reason, this would allow for the belief of superiority in European abilities. A dangerous attitude was generally clear in the French Prime Minister’s speech to the chamber of deputies. He expressed that it’s France’s duty as a superior country, to civilize the inferior savages outside of Europe (Doc 4). However, it should be recognized that this view was expressed during a public speech by a politician, who benefitted by promoting the importance of his native country, France. In addition, the rise of Social Darwinism also greatly impacted Europeans attitude. Darwin’s “Origin of Species” is the idea of the race who continuously dominates over others in competition is the race that shall survive on top, natural selection. This ideology was helped by artistic movements such as those seen in Gauguin's work in which he depicts Polynesian women as naked, that feel nothing as a European man gazes at them (Doc 5). Europeans believed that non-Europeans were uncivilized and vulnerable due to their own lack of preservation. Nationalistic attitudes would grip every European nation. As a result, these degrading opinions gained further importance. Such open mockery is detected in Dr. Schallmayer essay in which Social Darwinism reaches its negative peak as a factor in racism. Schallmayer argues that some races are superior than others, and non-European races who lose in competition to European races, confirms European superiority (Doc 6). However, this document needs to be carefully applied to other European nations because Germany was unique as a particularly explosive center of racism, economic problems, and anger. Yet, to prove this point a British viewpoint reveals a less volatile opinion. The Earl of Cromer’s memoir reveals