Social Darwinism

Abstract

After 24 November 1859, the world of knowledge would never be the same. Even those who prefer to emphasize the anonymous and collective dimension of scientific advances are forced to accept the fulminant contribution of Charles Darwin in his On the Origin of Species, published in 1859. Thereafter, experts from numerous fields of study sought to incorporate the English naturalists conclusions into their own theories. Among these were social scientists, from ethnologists to political scientists, from sociologists to historians, all of whom readily adapted the notions of natural selection, the struggle for life, and the survival of the fittest to their own scientific interpretations of the nature of human society. Long before Darwin, however, the most interesting sociological theories on social dynamics strongly emphasized , the struggle for scarce resources, the consolidation of elites, the subordination of certain classes to others, social exclusion or marginalization, social harmony as well as the often ruthless and violent competition (for power, territory, etc.) that has always characterized our history. Darwins work reinforced but also notably enriched discussions of the role of traditional conflicts in the analysis of human matters. While in some cases broader application of evolutionary theory has resulted in a tendency to oversimplifications, further research has generally led to corrections and clarifications. Unfortunately, a vulgar social Darwinism persists. Thus, during the long neoliberal and neoconservative phase that preceded the present economic recession, social neodarwinism, can be seen to have motivated the financial schemes and abuses that ultimately disrupted the economic dynamics of much of the developed world. It is therefore time to re-examine social Darwinism and its enormously influential impact on society. Those aspects which are pernicious, unscientific, or completely false must be distinguished from those which, without a doubt, provide a satisfying approximation of the always unattainable truth.