Social Morwinism: The Theory Of Social Darwinism

The theory of Social Darwinism stems from the idea that the human species can progress by following the principal of Charles Darwin’s natural selection, in which he states that plants and animals that can adapt to changes in their environment are able to survive and reproduce, while those that cannot adapt will die. Social Darwinists applied this biological concept to social, political and economic issues, which created the “survival of the fittest” attitude, as well as competition and inequality between social groups. This paper will discuss some of the proponents of this theory, the results of their interpretation and application of the theory, and why this theory no longer holds a prominent position in Anthropological theory.
In 1858,

William Graham Sumner coined the term ethnocentrism, ‘the idea that our beliefs and behaviors are right and true, whereas those of other peoples are wrong or misguided’ (Robbins, 2013) and used Social Darwinism to justify laissez-faire economics, a system free of government interference. He was opposed to policies that would help the less fortunate in society, such as public education and welfare for the needy, believing that this was detrimental to the human race by allowing the weak to survive. Social Darwinists believed that the ‘white man’, or the Aryan race, was regarded as superior to all other races, causing racism to run

Not only were people of African or Asian descent assumed to naturally act differently from white people, but even different white nationalities—Scotch, Swedes, Greeks, or Poles—were described as having different inborn traits (McMillan, 2014). Poor people were said to have inferior intellectual and moral qualities which is why they were at the bottom of the social ladder.
By the 20th century, advances in anthropology undermined the tenets of Social Darwinism by demonstrating how human culture set people apart from animals, not biology. In addition, German American anthropologist, Franz Boaz, attacked the idea of ethnocentrism, and taught that all cultures were equal and that there is no superior race. Such ideologies have been discredited not only on scientific grounds, but on ethical and political grounds as well. Cultural Relativism brought attention to the problem of Ethnocentrism, which in turn, led to the formation of