Social Darwinism In Two Letters, And Charles Darwin's Decent Of Man

Darian Ogilvie

World Civilization

Professor Clem

March 31, 2015

Impact of Charles Darwin’s Theory

Darwinism openly influenced ultra-nationalism, racial supremacy, and cultural genocides. This can be evaluated by the examination of Hitler’s Mein Kampf, Rudolf von Ihering’s Two Letters, and Charles Darwin’s Decent of Man. Charles Darwin, made and imprinting impact on the nationalism, race and genocides of the nineteenth century, by developing and expanding on his social Darwinism theory as expressed in his book Decent of Man. Hitler portrays a great example of racial supremacy in his book Mein Kampf. Rudolf von Ihering expresses the rise of nationalism in his Two Letters.

Nationalism arose was fueled by industrial commerce, imperialist

During that time most educated people believed that racial differences in intelligence and morality were proven scientific fact. Today, racism is seen as the “underachiever”. Racism usually contained the notion that different races, different nationalities, and specific classes of society, were born to behave in certain ways. The inferior moral and intellectual qualities kept the poor classes of society at the bottom of the social ladder. In his book, Mein Kampf, Hitler states “it by no means believes in an equality of races, but along with their difference it recognizes their higher or lesser value and feels itself obligated to promote the victory of the better and stronger, and demand the subordination of the inferior and weaker in accordance with the eternal will that dominates this universe.”(Hitler). Hitler goes on to talk about the subjugated people that actually benefit by being conquered because they come in contact with and learn from the superior. He also adds that they benefit only as long as the superior remains in power and does not come in contact with any people of the lower class. Hitler describes the struggle for world domination as an ongoing racial, cultural, and political battle between the Aryans and Jews. His thoughts and details are outlined by accusing the Jews of conducting an international conspiracy to control world finances, controlling press, inventing liberal democracy as well as Marxism, promoting prostitution and abortion, and using culture to spread disharmony. Throughout history and even today, inequality has marked the human condition and the powerful have abused their power. Their deeds, no matter how violent, escape moral condemnation, because their actions reflected “the laws of nature,” the animal kingdom, knows no morality. The effect of the new racism enjoying scientific certainty, it was intellectually respectable.