Final answer:
Herbert Spencer adapted Darwin's theory to justify economic and social inequalities through the concept of social Darwinism, coining the term 'survival of the fittest'.
Step-by-step explanation:
Political philosopher Herbert Spencer adapted Charles Darwin's evolutionary view of "survival of the fittest" by arguing that it is "natural" that some people are rich while others are poor. He coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" and later helped popularize the concept of social Darwinism. Sociologist William Graham Sumner became a vocal proponent of this ideology. Social Darwinism suggests that society, much like nature, allows individuals with certain traits, such as intelligence, inherited wealth, and others, to succeed. It posited that the ability to rise or fall depended on one's inherent abilities and adaptation to the environment, theoretically with an equal opportunity for success. Spencer's views were later used to justify economic and social inequalities and were associated with eugenic ideologies and scientific racism in the 19th and 20th centuries.