Question

How were darwins ideas consistent with the age of realpolitik?

Answer 1

Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection became co-opted as social Darwinism during the realpolitik era, which paralleled ruthless business competition to survival in nature. The term 'survival of the fittest' coined by Herbert Spencer, although a distortion of Darwin's science, was used to justify the social and business practices of the time. Pragmatism, emphasizing the practical testing of ideas, also reflected Darwinian influence in its embracing of concepts being proven through real-world application.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ideas proposed by Charles Darwin in his work “On the Origin of Species” became a touchstone during the age of realpolitik due to their implications about competition and survival in society. Business leaders and proponents of the industrial age harnessed Darwin's ideas for their own purposes, establishing a parallel between the brutal competition in nature and the cutthroat business world. This perspective became known as social Darwinism, a doctrine that distorted Darwin's original concepts to justify the aggressive tactics of the industrial marketplace and even societal hierarchies based on race and class.

Political philosopher Herbert Spencer was influential in this era, coining the phrase “survival of the fittest,” which became a cornerstone of social Darwinism. Yet, Darwin might have disagreed with the ruthless business strategies and social theories that evolved from his ideas about natural selection. Furthermore, social Darwinism omitted the role of ethical considerations, cooperative behaviors, and environmental context in the development and success of species, including humans.

Realpolitik, an approach to politics or diplomacy based primarily on practical considerations rather than ideological notions, found resonance in the pragmatism supported by thinkers like William James. James's philosophy of pragmatism emphasized the need for ideas to be tested and proven effective in reality, mirroring the way natural selection tests traits for their utility in the survival of species.

Answer 2

realpolitik is a political system that is based on the most appropriate course of action under certain situtaion rather than based on moral or ethics.
This is very similar to the adaptation techniques that Darwin described in his survival of the fittest theory, where organisms made the most appropriate course of actions in order to survive the environment.