Social Darwinism in European and American Thought, 1860-1945: Nature as Model and Nature as ThreatThis wide-ranging study focuses upon the controversies surrounding the meaning and significance of Social Darwinism. It clarifies the nature of Social Darwinism and its relationship to the ideas of Darwin, Lamarck and Herbert Spencer. After examining the development of Social Darwinist theories by a number of European and American thinkers, Mike Hawkins explores the use of these theories in a number of ideological debates and movements of the period 1860-1945. These include socio-political reform, national and racial conflict, eugenics, the position of women and Nazism/Fascism. The aim is to illuminate, through detailed comparative analyses, both the flexibility and the limits of Social Darwinism - limits which derive from the view of nature which lies at the very heart of Social Darwinism. The study concludes with a discussion of modern sociobiology in order to assess the continuing vitality of Social Darwinism. |
From inside the book
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Page 4
... struggle for existence , and survival of the fittest in evolution and attributed a greater role to other mechanisms such as the inheritance of acquired characters . For Bannister , this makes questionable the extent to which these catch ...
... struggle for existence , and survival of the fittest in evolution and attributed a greater role to other mechanisms such as the inheritance of acquired characters . For Bannister , this makes questionable the extent to which these catch ...
Page 11
... existence of adaptation and the struggle for survival in social life , suggesting a more complex ( and perhaps ambivalent ) stance vis - à - vis Darwinism on his part which would repay closer investigation . The position of the German ...
... existence of adaptation and the struggle for survival in social life , suggesting a more complex ( and perhaps ambivalent ) stance vis - à - vis Darwinism on his part which would repay closer investigation . The position of the German ...
Page 12
... struggle for existence'.41 But he explicitly eschewed Darwinian accounts of the collapse of ancient civilisations and was critical of the transfer of the concept of adaptation from biology to sociology.42 Weber perhaps furnishes an ...
... struggle for existence'.41 But he explicitly eschewed Darwinian accounts of the collapse of ancient civilisations and was critical of the transfer of the concept of adaptation from biology to sociology.42 Weber perhaps furnishes an ...
Page 13
... struggle for existence and the protection of the weaker members'.47 Nevertheless , Ward's own theoretical writings made considerable use of Darwinism . Ward depicted the struggle for existence as acting primarily upon social structures ...
... struggle for existence and the protection of the weaker members'.47 Nevertheless , Ward's own theoretical writings made considerable use of Darwinism . Ward depicted the struggle for existence as acting primarily upon social structures ...
Page 15
... struggle for existence , the struggle for survival'.57 Hirst , in contrast , insists on the qualitatively different theoretical contexts within which Malthus and Darwin deploy the notion of struggle . 58 Other writers argue that Malthus ...
... struggle for existence , the struggle for survival'.57 Hirst , in contrast , insists on the qualitatively different theoretical contexts within which Malthus and Darwin deploy the notion of struggle . 58 Other writers argue that Malthus ...
Contents
Defining Social Darwinism | 21 |
The distinctiveness of Social Darwinism | 39 |
Pioneers | 59 |
The emergence of Social Darwinism | 61 |
Herbert Spencer and cosmic evolution | 82 |
Social Darwinism in the USA | 104 |
Social Darwinism in France and Germany | 123 |
Case studies | 149 |
Races nations and the struggle for existence | 184 |
The eugenic conscience | 216 |
Social Darwinism nature and sexual difference | 249 |
Nazism Fascism and Social Darwinism | 272 |
Social Darwinism old and new the case of sociobiology | 292 |
314 | |
335 | |
Reform Darwinism | 151 |
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Social Darwinism in European and American Thought, 1860-1945: Nature as ... Mike Hawkins No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
acquired characters adaptation animals argued arguments Aryan Bagehot behaviour believed biological Brace century chap civilisation competition conception conflict context culture Darwinian Degeneration elimination equality essay ethical eugenics evolutionary theory example Fascism female Fiske fittest genes genetic German Haeckel hence Herbert Spencer hereditarian hereditary heredity History Hitler human evolution human nature Huxley Ibid ideas ideological important individual inequalities inferior inheritance of acquired insisted instincts intellectual Italian Fascism Lamarck Lapouge latter laws of nature Lenz Lombroso London male Mein Kampf mental modern moral nations natural selection Nazi Nazism organic organisation original emphasis philosophy physical policies political population primitive principle progress psychology race racial racial hygiene relationship role Royer savages scientific Selfish Gene sexual selection Social Darwinism Social Darwinist social evolution society sociobiology Sociology species Spencer struggle for existence Sumner theorists tion traits unfit University Press variations Wallas warfare welfare women world view