Final answer:
The belief that certain racial or social groups, especially wealthy Anglo-Saxons, were naturally superior is historically rooted in expansionism, nationalism, and pseudo-scientific theories like Social Darwinism. These ideologies have been used to justify social hierarchies and racial caste systems, influencing societal structures and perpetuating racial discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Racial Superiority and Social Hierarchy
The concept that certain racial or social groups are naturally superior to others has been historically prevalent in various societies. In the context of expansionism, figures like Josiah Strong championed the notion that the Anglo-Saxon race, particularly wealthy Anglo-Saxons, was superior and had a divine mission to spread liberty and Christianity. Such racial superiority beliefs were intertwined with economic and nationalist motivations, and were often used to justify imperialist actions and policies.
Nationalism played a role in shaping these notions of racial hierarchy, as Englishmen began to self-identify as Anglo-Saxons during the 19th century, creating an exclusionary vision of white America. These ideologies were backed by pseudo-scientific theories like Social Darwinism, which argued that non-white races had ceased evolving, while white races had continued to progress. This misguided belief system supported unjust social structures and discrimination against non-white groups and those of mixed race, underpinning a long-lasting social and racial stratification, most notably seen in Latin America and the United States.
In the United States, the idea of a racial caste system was argued by anthropologists like Allison Davis, Gardner, and Gardner, who noted that racism reinforced inequitable social relations, seeming permanent yet subject to change. White supremacy was also a significant factor in justifying societal domination by white people at the expense of historically excluded groups. Such beliefs have had profound real-world consequences, affecting the social mobility and rights of various racial and social groups throughout history.