Describe Spencer’s notion of social Darwinism.
Herbert Spencer was an advocate of Darwinism. He said that everything in the universe is evolving. He coined the term survival of the fittest. This theory in America was met with a lot of enthusiasm.
According to Spencer, like species are allowed to thrive independently in their favorable environment, similarly people should also be allowed to flourish without any interference from the government. Organizations and people should be allowed to progress themselves.
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-reliance. Those who had wit and courage could achieve success by surviving against all odds.