Was Darwin a Social Darwinist?
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species was published in 1859. In it Darwin described the idea that animals evolved through variation and natural selection of those most fit to endure in particular environments. In 1871 Darwin applied this theory directly to human beings in The Descent of Man. Before either of these two works was published, Herbert Spencer was already contemplating the questions of evolution and progress. Spencer's ideas received a substantial boost from Darwin's theories, and Spencer's theories became generally known as "Social Darwinism." Although very similar in name, Darwinism and Social Darwinism have very little in common aside from a few basic concepts. By understanding the main ideas behind Darwinism and Social Darwinism, the fact that Social Darwinists have incorrectly applied Darwin's original theories is made clear. In On the Origin of Species, Darwin presented his idea that species evolve from more primitive species through the process of natural selection, which occurs spontaneously in nature. "No one supposes that all the individuals of the same species are cast in the very same mould," (Darwin 113). Rather, individuals have variations and some of these
The key to Darwin's views is that he limits the definition of natural selection to species operating within a natural ecosystem. He limited his discussion of man's role in natural selection to the natural world, stating that "man is variable in body and mind; and that the variations are induced, either directly or indirectly, by the same general causes, and obey the same general laws, as with the lower animals" (Descent of Man, 1871, p. 63). This both affirms the belief that the theory is only limited to naturally occurring events and processes, and applies the same method of reasoning to discussions involving mankind and other animals. Spencer, Herbert. The Data of Ethics. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1895. Hudson, William Henry. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Herbert Spencer. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1990. variations make their bearers better tailored to particular ecological conditions. The accumulation of adaptations to a particular ecological system leads to the development of separate species, each adapted to its own natural area. Cooper, John Milton. Pivotal Decades: The United States, 1900-1920. Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. New York: It is fairly safe to say that Charles Darwin was not a full-fledged Social Darwinist. Although both Spencer and Darwin influenced each other's writings, there are still large fundamental differences in their philosophies (Alland 19). Darwin believed in an evolution that was limited to the natural world while Spencer sought to extend the properties of the natural world over into a social context. While both men make valid points, the ethical fallacies present in Spencer's argument lead to the conclusion that Darwin's stricter view is also the more valid one.
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Approximate Word count = 1389
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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