Social Darwinism in American ThoughtSocial Darwinism in American Thought portrays the overall influence of Darwin on American social theory and the notable battle waged among thinkers over the implications of evolutionary theory for social thought and political action. Theorists such as Herbert Spencer and William Graham Sumner adopted the idea of the struggle for existence as justification for the evils as well as the benefits of laissez-faire modern industrial society. Others such as William James and John Dewey argued that human planning was needed to direct social development and improve upon the natural order. Hofstadter's classic study of the ramifications of Darwinism is a major analysis of the social philosophies that animated intellectual movements of the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era. |
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User Review - Scapegoats - LibraryThingDarwinism caused a serious stir in Europe but took a while to get traction in the United States. Part of the reason was Origin of the Species was published just before the American Civil War. After ... Read full review
Contents
AUTHORS INTRODUCTION | 3 |
THE COMING OF DARWINISM | 13 |
THE VOGUE OF SPENCER | 31 |
SOCIAL DARWINIST | 51 |
CRITIC | 67 |
EVOLUTION ETHICS AND SOCIETY | 85 |
THE DISSENTERS | 105 |
THE CURRENT OF PRAGMATISM | 123 |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted advance American Anglo-Saxon animal appeared argument became become believed biological called century chap character Charles Christian civilization competition conception conservative course criticism Darwinian Dewey doctrine early economic effect environment Essays ethical evolution evolutionary existence expressed fact Fiske fittest force George Henry Herbert Hofstadter human Ibid ideas important individual industrial influence intellectual interest James John Journal labor later less Letters live means mind Monthly moral movement natural selection never once organism Origin period philosophy physical political popular possible present principle problem progress psychology published race reform relations religion result Review scientific seemed social Darwinism society Sociology species Spencer struggle Sumner theory things thinking thought tion traditional United University Ward whole writings wrote York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Social Darwinism in American Thought Volume 16 of Beacon paperbacks |
| Author | Richard Hofstadter |
| Edition | revised |
| Publisher | Beacon Press, 1992 |
| ISBN | 0807055034, 9780807055038 |
| Length | 288 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Social History Science / Life Sciences / Evolution Social Science / Research |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |