Final answer:
Social Darwinism was a pseudo-scientific theory that misappropriated Darwin's theory of evolution to justify societal inequalities and imperialistic practices by suggesting that certain human traits were inherently superior and inheritable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social Darwinism Explained
Social Darwinism is a pseudo-scientific theory that draws on Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, co-opted to justify societal hierarchies and imperialistic policies. Herbert Spencer, a British sociologist, coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" and applied Darwinian concepts to human societies, leading to the idea that certain human traits, such as industriousness and intelligence, are biologically passed down. It falsely claimed that some people are more evolved than others, which was used to rationalize the superiority of certain races and the dominance of colonial powers over other nations and peoples.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, social Darwinism became associated with moral justification for racism, classism, and colonialism. It argued that those seen as socially or biologically 'inferior' did not merit assistance, as their survival would hinder human advancement. This belief system supported the idea that non-white races and the impoverished were inherently inferior and therefore deserved their fates, leading to an entrenched social hierarchy and imperial conquests justified on the basis of 'civilizing' the supposedly less evolved.
The theory's misuse of science was seen as a way to legitimize racial and cultural prejudices, supporting notions of racial hierarchy and opposing efforts to assist the less fortunate in society. The misuse of social Darwinism reached a peak when eugenicists began tying these ideas to their claims of genetic superiority, which eventually contributed to the theory falling out of favor.