Position:Home>History> What is social Darwinism? What were its origins and how did London interpret thi

Well, the Wikipedia states it is:

"Social Darwinism is a theory that competition among all individuals, groups, nations or ideas drives social evolution in human societies!.[verification needed] The term draws upon Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, where competition between individual organisms drives biological evolutionary change (speciation) through the survival of the fittest!.

The term was popularized in 1944 by the American historian Richard Hofstadter, and has generally been used by critics rather than advocates of what the term is supposed to represent!.

While the term has been applied to the claim that Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection can be used to understand the social endurance of a nation or country, social Darwinism commonly refers to ideas that predate Darwin's publication of On the Origin of Species!. Others whose ideas are given the label include the 18th century clergyman Thomas Malthus, and Darwin's cousin Francis Galton who founded eugenics towards the end of the 19th century!.

Some[who!?] claim that it supports racism on the lines set out by Arthur de Gobineau before Darwin published his theories, which directly contradict Darwin's own work!. This classification of social Darwinism constitutes part of the reaction against the Nazi regime and the Holocaust!."

The way I interpret the social darwinism is that the "fittest will survive!." That used to be true until modern health care, at least here in America!.

Apparently, from what I've been reading, Jack London at least started out as a communist!. Whether he stayed that way thru life or not, I don't know!.

Hope this helps! :o)Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Social Darwinism obviously began when philosophers began looking at the work of Darwin!. You know!.!.!.the whole "survival of the fittest" thing!. Well, you know that over long stretches of time, Darwin believed that animals evolved certain traits to help them survive!.

Social Darwinists took these ideas, and developed the idea that humans competed in this manner as well!. Of course, this leads into a lot of racism!. They began to wonder what traits in humans were desirable, and which were not!. Were some races less evolved than others!?

Because of this, some philosophers began also came up with the idea of eugenics: breeding superior humans (controlling who could and could not give birth)!. You can see where this plays into Hitler's plans in Germany!. He, too, was influenced by all of this!.

As for London, well!.!.!.he seems to believe in Eugenics to a point!. (I didn't know this off the top of my head!. That, I had to look up at the source listed)!. A quote from the site " There must be a reason for the dead-status of the black, a reason for the Teuton spreading over the earth as no other race has ever spread!. There must be something in race heredity, else I would not leap at the summons!."

As this passage shows, London's Social Darwinism usually mixed with his interest in racialism!. There are several other novels that portray London's belief in the biological superiority of the white man, namely Burning Daylight, Adventure, and The Mutiny of the Elsinore!."

I encourage you to go ahead to the site and look up more!. I hope that helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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