social darwinism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowAcademic
Quick answer
What does “social darwinism” mean?
The application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, often implying that the strong should thrive and the weak perish.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, often implying that the strong should thrive and the weak perish.
In broader contexts, it refers to ideologies that justify social inequality, competition, and laissez-faire policies based on survival-of-the-fittest principles, sometimes used pejoratively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal; both varieties use the term similarly, with no significant spelling or usage variations beyond general differences like 'criticised' (UK) vs. 'criticized' (US) in related contexts.
Connotations
Equally negative in contemporary usage, associated with harsh social policies and ethical concerns.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, primarily encountered in academic, historical, or political discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “social darwinism” in a Sentence
Noun + verb (e.g., social Darwinism justifies inequality)Prepositional phrase (e.g., policies based on social Darwinism)Adjectival modifier (e.g., harsh social Darwinism)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “social darwinism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Some ideologies darwinise social structures to justify inequality.
American English
- They attempted to Darwinize social policies based on competition.
adverb
British English
- He argued social-darwinistically for minimal government intervention.
American English
- She interpreted the data social Darwinistically, emphasizing competition.
adjective
British English
- The social-darwinian approach was widely criticised in academia.
American English
- His social Darwinian views were criticized as outdated.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; if mentioned, it criticizes cutthroat competition or unethical market practices.
Academic
Common in sociology, history, and political science to analyze historical ideologies and their impacts.
Everyday
Very rare; may appear in discussions about politics, society, or ethics, often with negative connotations.
Technical
Used in specific fields like evolutionary psychology or social theory to describe applied Darwinian concepts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “social darwinism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “social darwinism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “social darwinism”
- Using it to describe biological evolution only, rather than its social application.
- Confusing it with Herbert Spencer's ideas, who popularized the concept, not Darwin.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is largely discredited and considered a historical ideology, often criticized for ethical and scientific flaws.
The term was popularized by critics in the late 19th century, not by Charles Darwin himself; it is often associated with Herbert Spencer's ideas.
Biological Darwinism explains evolution in nature through natural selection, while social Darwinism misapplies these principles to human societies, often to justify inequality.
It is sometimes used metaphorically to describe policies that favor extreme competition over cooperation, such in certain economic theories, but strictly, it refers to historical contexts.
The application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, often implying that the strong should thrive and the weak perish.
Social darwinism is usually academic in register.
Social darwinism: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsəʊʃəl ˈdɑːwɪnɪzəm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsoʊʃəl ˈdɑːrwɪnɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “survival of the fittest”
- “law of the jungle”
- “dog-eat-dog world”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'social' for society and 'Darwinism' from Charles Darwin; imagine a society where only the strong survive, akin to natural selection in evolution.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A JUNGLE
Practice
Quiz
What is social Darwinism primarily associated with?