Social Darwinism and its Consequences for 19th Century Society

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2007 , 24 Pages , Note: 1,0

Didactique de l'Anglais - Littérature, Œuvres

The phenomenon of Social Darwinism is by no means easy to explain or to define. Its name suggests that Social Darwinism has something to do with Darwinism, meaning the evolutionary theories of Darwin. In the course of this paper, it shall be outlined how Social Darwinism could be defined, what link there is or could be to Darwin and his theories and the role Herbert Spencer plays in coining the term Social Darwinism. Furthermore, it is aimed at discussing the impacts of Social Darwinism on the contemporary society of the 19th century, in particular the English Imperialism and also racism in general, as well in England as in America. Apart from that, the attention will be drawn to the influences of Social Darwinism on English and American literature of the time. Finally, a conclusion will be given to sum up the most important outcomes of this paper.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Trying to define Social Darwinism
  • What is Social Darwinism?
  • Connection between Darwin and Social Darwinism
  • Herbert Spencer's role in coining Social Darwinism
• Impacts of Social Darwinism on the society of the 19th century
  • British Imperialism
  • Racism
    • General legitimations of racist ideologies
    • Manifestation of racism in British thought
    • Implementation of racism in American society
• Influences of Social Darwinism on the literature of the time
  • Impacts on English literature
  • Thoughts of American writers
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to define Social Darwinism, explore its connection to Darwinian biology, and analyze its impact on 19th-century society, particularly British Imperialism and racism. It also examines the influence of Social Darwinism on English and American literature of the time.

• Defining Social Darwinism and its various interpretations
• Examining the relationship between Darwinism and Social Darwinism
• Analyzing the impact of Social Darwinism on British Imperialism
• Exploring the role of Social Darwinism in legitimizing and perpetuating racism
• Investigating the influence of Social Darwinism on English and American literature

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the concept of Social Darwinism and its complexity, highlighting the diverse interpretations and applications of the term. It explores the connection between Darwinian biology and Social Darwinism, emphasizing the controversial nature of applying evolutionary principles to human societies. The chapter also examines the role of Herbert Spencer in coining the term Social Darwinism.

The second chapter delves into the impacts of Social Darwinism on 19th-century society, focusing on British Imperialism and the rise of racism. It analyzes how Social Darwinism was used to justify colonial expansion and the subjugation of other cultures. The chapter also explores the various ways in which racist ideologies were legitimized and manifested in British thought and American society.

The third chapter examines the influence of Social Darwinism on English and American literature of the time. It explores how writers used Social Darwinist ideas to portray social hierarchies, power dynamics, and the struggle for survival. The chapter also analyzes the impact of Social Darwinism on literary themes such as imperialism, racism, and social Darwinism.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Social Darwinism, Darwinism, British Imperialism, racism, 19th-century society, English literature, American literature, Herbert Spencer, and the impact of evolutionary theory on social thought.

• Université: LMU Munich (Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Cours: Hauptseminar
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Anne Aschenbrenner (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2007
• Pages: 24
• N° de catalogue: V286654
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656869405
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656869412
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: social, darwinism, consequences, century, society