Why was the United States so receptive to Spencer’s ideas about social Darwinism?
Spencer applied his theory of survival of the fittest to human settlement. He said that the institutions, enterprises, or organizations that were getting weaker should perish, as they will lead to the downfall of a structured society.
The government should not render support to weaker functioning business, as this would weaken the society as a whole and would go against nature’s law. Following nature’s law only the best and strongest can survive.
This statement of ‘survival of the fittest’ was in sync with the mentality of the Americans. They were free spirited and had individualism. The hard working population believed in independency, free enterprise, and self- sufficiency. Those who had the wit and courage could achieve success by surviving against all odds.
The Americans were practical. They incorporated the theory of evolution because they could relate to it. Functional psychology allowed evolution and free spirited nature, to go with the temper of Americans. Spencer’s views were very much similar to the Americans and thus, bore more fruitful results.