Final answer:
The concept of 'survival of the fittest,' a term coined by Herbert Spencer, contributed to the discredited ideology of Social Darwinism. This theory was used to justify social and economic inequalities, basing success on inherent traits, but was later rejected due to its flawed logic and ethical issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory "survival of the fittest", incorrectly attributed to Charles Darwin, was first coined by Herbert Spencer to represent the idea that in nature, the organisms best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This concept was later adapted into Social Darwinism, a social theory suggesting that the same evolutionary ideas could be applied to human society, where individuals with certain traits, such as intelligence or inherited wealth, were inherently more likely to succeed. Critics, however, swiftly challenged Social Darwinism, noting that the theory ignored the unequal opportunities and social conditions that affected an individual's chances of success.
The ideology of Social Darwinism was embraced by many wealthy individuals of the time, who viewed their success as evidence of their 'biological fitness'. In contrast, others, including critics and subsequent generations, recognized the flawed logic and ethical implications of applying biological concepts to justify social and economic inequalities. The misuse of Darwin's scientific discoveries was particularly clear as Social Darwinism was later exploited by eugenicists to support harmful racial theories.
Despite its initial popularity, the concept of Social Darwinism gradually fell into disrepute in the 1930s and 1940s due to its association with racist ideologies and its fundamental misinterpretation of Darwin's work on natural selection. Evolutionary theory was never meant to prescribe social policies or to justify inequalities in human societies. Spencer's pseudoscientific application of biological principles to social order has since been broadly discredited.
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