Social Darwinism: Economic Effects

Nowadays, Social Darwinism is a very popular topic which many scholars like to debate about. Basically, Social Darwinism refers to Darwin’s theory “survival of the fittest,” and it has also been used to explain the economic growth under capitalism. It sees the economic environment as an ecosystem: the weak businesses would be weeded out, and the strong businesses would continue to compete in the marketplace. In other words, Social Darwinism is a symbol of free market.

If the market is absolutely free, then monopolization will appear. If the market is monopolized by a few big corporations, the small businesses may even not have a chance to enter the market, and then the lower class and middle class people may never have a chance to improve their social positions. Thus, there are already anti- monopolization laws in different countries in order to protect the medium and small businesses. This can prove that Social Darwinism is not a suitable theory which can apply in the reality. However, even though sometimes governments will intervene into the market, it still cannot change the current economic power relationship. The marketplace can be controlled by the major capitalists, and even the society can be also controlled by these capitalists since in capitalist countries wealth means everything. Specifically, the rich people can own the mass media, and the mass media can be a tool for them to control many people’s minds. Rich people can also financially support politicians to win elections, and as a result, the politicians may make policies which may benefit those people. Therefore, Social Darwinism can cause inequality to different classes of people. In addition, I believe that poverty and unemployment problems are also caused by Social Darwinism to some degree because most of the economy is occupied by the major capitalists. For the people in general, no matter how hard they try to make effort to their lives, there is very limited space for them to improve their positions. Thus, there is no equality under the Social Darwinism.

Overall, Darwinism is a basic model of the modern western ideology because it can reinforce the status of the upper class. People should be awake of the theory because it is an inhuman and unmoral philosophy.