Eugenics and social Darwinism are related but distinct concepts that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, both influenced by interpretations of Darwin's theory of evolution. Eugenics is a theory and social movement coined by Francis Galton in 1883. It aims to improve the genetic quality of the human population by encouraging the reproduction of people with desirable traits (the "fit") and discouraging or preventing reproduction by those with undesirable traits (the "unfit"). Eugenics was based on a misapplication of biological principles of heredity and natural selection, seeking to control human breeding to enhance certain traits. This movement promoted ideas such as selective breeding and sometimes forced sterilization, falsely equating social worth with genetic "fitness" without real scientific justification. Social Darwinism is a broader social theory that applies Darwin’s biological concept of natural selection and "survival of the fittest" to human societies. According to social Darwinism, like in nature, human groups and races compete for survival, with the strong rising to power and the weak diminishing or disappearing. It was used to justify laissez-faire capitalism, social inequality, imperialism, racism, and policies that favored the dominance of certain races or classes. Social Darwinists believed that societal intervention to help the poor or weak interfered with natural processes and that wealth and power were signs of biological and moral superiority. In summary:
- Eugenics focuses on controlling human reproduction to "improve" the genetic traits of the population.
- Social Darwinism applies the concept of natural selection to justify social hierarchies and competition among people and groups.
Both have been discredited scientifically and ethically but played significant roles in shaping policies and ideologies, especially around race, class, and imperialism, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Eugenics emerged partly from social Darwinist thought but is more specifically about genetics and reproduction, while social Darwinism is about social competition and survival in society. Neither represents Darwin’s original biological theory accurately and are now widely rejected for their pseudoscientific and harmful implications.
