Final answer:
Social Darwinism is a theory that emerged during the industrial revolution, proposing that human advancement is facilitated when those who are unable to effectively compete in society are not artificially assisted. Proponents of Social Darwinism believed in a parallel evolutionary process in human society and justified rigid class distinctions and racism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social Darwinism is a theory that emerged during the industrial revolution, based on a loose interpretation of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. It proposes that human advancement will be facilitated if those who are not able to effectively compete in society are not artificially assisted, therefore becoming less likely to pass on their inferior traits.
Social Darwinism was used to justify rigid class distinctions and racism, as it was believed that success and power were the result of superior breeding. Proponents of Social Darwinism, such as Herbert Spencer and William Graham Sumner, argued that society evolved like a natural organism, with some individuals succeeding due to inherent traits and adaptability.
However, critics highlighted that not everyone had the same opportunities, leading to a disrepute of this ideology in the 1930s and 1940s.