Social Darwinism Essay
The British colonists supported Social Darwinism and used these
theories to justify colonial expansion in Australia. They forced the
indigenous Aboriginal people off their land, treated them as inferior
human beings and subjected them to a range of policies that
ultimately led to their destruction in large numbers.
Social Darwinism misused Darwin's ideas about the evolution of
animals and applied them to humans. Social Darwinists disagree
with the principle of equality of all human beings. They believed
there was a hierarchy of races and that some humans are
biologically superior to others. This hierarchy suggested that the
strongest or fittest would survive and flourish in society, while the
weak and unfit should die.
Eugenics is the study of human genes and attempts to breed out
'bad" genes and encourage people with the 'right' characteristics to
have children.
When the British settlers colonised Australia, 300 000 indigenous
Aboriginal people lived there for thousands of years, whom they
called 'Aborigines'. The Aborigines were nomadic hunter-gatherers
who moved around in search of food. They did not farm the land as
they believed the land was sacred. Instead, they lived in small
communities with their distinct traditions and language. However,
their way of life and culture were soon destroyed by the British
settlers who supported Social Darwinism. They believed they were a
superior race and could spread their civilised approach to life to the
"savage" Aborigines.
The British colonists supported Social Darwinism and used these
theories to justify colonial expansion in Australia. They forced the
indigenous Aboriginal people off their land, treated them as inferior
human beings and subjected them to a range of policies that
ultimately led to their destruction in large numbers.
Social Darwinism misused Darwin's ideas about the evolution of
animals and applied them to humans. Social Darwinists disagree
with the principle of equality of all human beings. They believed
there was a hierarchy of races and that some humans are
biologically superior to others. This hierarchy suggested that the
strongest or fittest would survive and flourish in society, while the
weak and unfit should die.
Eugenics is the study of human genes and attempts to breed out
'bad" genes and encourage people with the 'right' characteristics to
have children.
When the British settlers colonised Australia, 300 000 indigenous
Aboriginal people lived there for thousands of years, whom they
called 'Aborigines'. The Aborigines were nomadic hunter-gatherers
who moved around in search of food. They did not farm the land as
they believed the land was sacred. Instead, they lived in small
communities with their distinct traditions and language. However,
their way of life and culture were soon destroyed by the British
settlers who supported Social Darwinism. They believed they were a
superior race and could spread their civilised approach to life to the
"savage" Aborigines.
