Darwins Theory on Natural Selection

1n 1859, British naturalist Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. In his work, Darwin argued that all life, including humans, evolved into their current state. To help explain this theory of evolution he put forth his theory of natural selection.

Darwins Theory of Natural Selection

Darwin thought that plants and animals produce more than the food supply could support. Who else proposed this idea? Because of this, he believed species constantly competed to survive. Darwin proposed that nature selected physical traits best adapted to the environment. Then these traits would pass onto offspring.

Social Darwinism and Racism

Darwin was more of a scientist than socialist. Many thinkers used Darwins theories to support their beliefs about society. The application of these ideas war and economic competition became known as Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism also encouraged racism. Racism= unscientific belief that one racial group is superior to another. By the late 1800s, many Europeans and Americans claimed that the success of the Western civilization was due to the supremacy of the white race.