Social Darwinism in European and American Thought, 1860-1945: Nature as Model and Nature as ThreatThis wide-ranging study focuses upon the controversies surrounding the meaning and significance of Social Darwinism. It clarifies the nature of Social Darwinism and its relationship to the ideas of Darwin, Lamarck and Herbert Spencer. After examining the development of Social Darwinist theories by a number of European and American thinkers, Mike Hawkins explores the use of these theories in a number of ideological debates and movements of the period 1860-1945. These include socio-political reform, national and racial conflict, eugenics, the position of women and Nazism/Fascism. The aim is to illuminate, through detailed comparative analyses, both the flexibility and the limits of Social Darwinism - limits which derive from the view of nature which lies at the very heart of Social Darwinism. The study concludes with a discussion of modern sociobiology in order to assess the continuing vitality of Social Darwinism. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 88
Page 6
... Modern Europe ( Milton Keynes : Open University Press , 1980 ) , 37. See also A. Kelly , The Descent of Darwin ( Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press , 1981 ) , 103 . See H. Spencer , ' Réponse à M. Emile de Laveleye ' , in ...
... Modern Europe ( Milton Keynes : Open University Press , 1980 ) , 37. See also A. Kelly , The Descent of Darwin ( Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press , 1981 ) , 103 . See H. Spencer , ' Réponse à M. Emile de Laveleye ' , in ...
Page 9
... modern historians . For some revisionists the entire notion is a straw man , a myth - one which Hofstadter is often assigned a key role in manufacturing - concocted by reformers and critics of laissez - faire and individualism in order ...
... modern historians . For some revisionists the entire notion is a straw man , a myth - one which Hofstadter is often assigned a key role in manufacturing - concocted by reformers and critics of laissez - faire and individualism in order ...
Page 10
... modern theoretical content , purged of those original features that have been subsequently discarded or revised as well as its original philoso- phical underpinnings . 31 Small wonder , then , that he found little evidence of ' genuine ...
... modern theoretical content , purged of those original features that have been subsequently discarded or revised as well as its original philoso- phical underpinnings . 31 Small wonder , then , that he found little evidence of ' genuine ...
Page 15
... Modern World View ( Baton Rouge , LA : Mentor , 1963 ) , 84-9 . 57 R. M. Young , ' Malthus and the Evolutionists : The Common Context of Biological and Social Theory ' , Past and Present , 43 ( 1969 ) , 111-12 . See also B. Gale ...
... Modern World View ( Baton Rouge , LA : Mentor , 1963 ) , 84-9 . 57 R. M. Young , ' Malthus and the Evolutionists : The Common Context of Biological and Social Theory ' , Past and Present , 43 ( 1969 ) , 111-12 . See also B. Gale ...
Page 19
... Modern Synthesis ' of the 1930s and 1940s and then with the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953. There is , however , a concluding chapter on Social Darwinism and sociobiology . This is included partly in order to test the ...
... Modern Synthesis ' of the 1930s and 1940s and then with the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953. There is , however , a concluding chapter on Social Darwinism and sociobiology . This is included partly in order to test the ...
Contents
Defining Social Darwinism | 21 |
The distinctiveness of Social Darwinism | 39 |
Pioneers | 59 |
The emergence of Social Darwinism | 61 |
Herbert Spencer and cosmic evolution | 82 |
Social Darwinism in the USA | 104 |
Social Darwinism in France and Germany | 123 |
Case studies | 149 |
Races nations and the struggle for existence | 184 |
The eugenic conscience | 216 |
Social Darwinism nature and sexual difference | 249 |
Nazism Fascism and Social Darwinism | 272 |
Social Darwinism old and new the case of sociobiology | 292 |
314 | |
335 | |
Reform Darwinism | 151 |
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Social Darwinism in European and American Thought, 1860-1945: Nature as ... Mike Hawkins No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
acquired characters adaptation animals argued arguments Aryan Bagehot behaviour believed biological Brace century chap civilisation competition conception conflict context culture Darwinian Degeneration elimination equality essay ethical eugenics evolutionary theory example Fascism female Fiske fittest genes genetic German Haeckel hence Herbert Spencer hereditarian hereditary heredity History Hitler human evolution human nature Huxley Ibid ideas ideological important individual inequalities inferior inheritance of acquired insisted instincts intellectual Italian Fascism Lamarck Lapouge latter laws of nature Lenz Lombroso London male Mein Kampf mental modern moral nations natural selection Nazi Nazism organic organisation original emphasis philosophy physical policies political population primitive principle progress psychology race racial racial hygiene relationship role Royer savages scientific Selfish Gene sexual selection Social Darwinism Social Darwinist social evolution society sociobiology Sociology species Spencer struggle for existence Sumner theorists tion traits unfit University Press variations Wallas warfare welfare women world view