A normal interpretation of evolition theory is social darwinism...
Creationists have often maintained that social Darwinism—leading to policies designed to make the weak perish—is a
logical consequence of "Darwinism" (the theory of
natural selection in biology). Biologists and historians have stated that this is a fallacy of
appeal to nature, since the theory of natural selection is merely intended as a description of a biological phenomenon and should not be taken to imply that this phenomenon is
good or that it ought to be used as a moral guide in human society. Social Darwinism owed more to
Herbert Spencer's ideas, together with
genetics and a
Protestant Nonconformist tradition with roots in
Hobbes and
Malthus, than to
Charles Darwin's research.
[8] While most scholars recognize some historical links between the popularisation of Darwin's theory and forms of social Darwinism, they also maintain that social Darwinism is not a necessary consequence of the principles of biological evolution.
[9]
Scholars debate the extent to which the various social Darwinist ideologies reflect Charles Darwin's own views on human social and economic issues. His writings have passages that can be interpreted as opposing aggressive individualism, while other passages appear to promote it.
[10] Some scholars argue that Darwin's view gradually changed and came to incorporate views from the leading social interpreters of his theory such as Spencer,
[11] but Spencer's
Lamarckian evolutionary ideas about society were published before Darwin first published his theory, and both promoted their own conceptions of moral values. Spencer supported
laissez-faire capitalism on the basis of his Lamarckian belief that struggle for survival spurred
self-improvement which could be inherited.
[12]
Social Darwinism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia