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Essay On Social Darwinism

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Advocates of Social Darwinism argued for natural selection and survival. Although Darwinism was originally to be applied to nature and the animal plant it was applied to business in America by some businessmen. Herbert Spencer believed that supplying the general public with handouts like public education and healthcare would lead to a weak society. During this time Social Darwinism became the social philosophy of American businessmen. William Graham Sumner was a huge advocate for Social Darwinism and laissez faire. In Sumner’s What Social Classes Owe to Each Other he claims that if one social group conquers a goal it is at the cost of another social group. He believed that those who reached their goals where the millionaires. The millionaires …show more content…
According to them opportunity exists for everyone in America but only some actually take advantage of it. Gospel of Wealth supporters also believed it was a Christian duty to be wealthy and reach success. In Andrew Carnegie’s Wealth he does admit that he is well off because of the tough job of the working class, regardless of the working classes support he says his wealth is benefiting the entire society of America. Carnegie was a very successful man and had much wealth, he opened up such universities as Duke and Stanford. William Lawrence who also supported the Gospel of Wealth was an Episcopalian Church Bishop. Although Lawrence was in no way a wealthy man he supported the Gospel of Wealth way of thinking. Both advocates of Social Darwinism and advocates of the Gospel of Wealth supported a complete laissez faire system. Although the laissez faire system as well as the Darwinism and Gospel of Wealth where harsh for the poor and working class it was the most beneficial and most uplifting policy in the US at that time. Although these three different beliefs systems where not perfect and harsh for some they where the best systems during the time especially with the new industrialization that was happening for America during the time before and after the Civil

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