User:Ashaffe2/sandbox

Social Darwinism was a theory of human evolution loosely based on Darwinism that influenced most European intellectuals and strategic thinkers in the 1870-1914 era. These theories emphasized that struggle between nations and "races" was natural and that only the fittest nation deserved to survive. It gave an impetus to German assertiveness as a world economic and military power, aimed at competing with France and Britain for world power. German colonial rule in Africa 1884-1914 was an expression of nationalism and moral superiority that was justified by constructing an image of the natives as "Other". This approach highlighted racist views of mankind. German colonization was characterized by the use of repressive violence in the name of ‘culture’ and ‘civilization’. Germany's cultural-missionary project boasted that its colonial programs were humanitarian and educational endeavors. Furthermore, the wide acceptance among intellectuals of social Darwinism justified Germany's right to acquire colonial territories as a matter of the ‘survival of the fittest’, according to historian Michael Schubert.

The model suggested an explanation of why some ethnic groups (called "races" at the time) had been so antagonistic for so long, such as Germans and Slavs. They were natural rivals, destined to clash. Senior German generals such as Helmuth von Moltke talked in apocalyptic terms about the need for Germans to fight for their existence as a people and culture. MacMillan states: "Reflecting the Social Darwinist theories of the era, many Germans saw Slavs, as especially Russia as the natural opponent of the Teutonic races". Social Darwinism extended to Austria, where Conrad, Chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff declared: "A people that lays down its weapons seals its fate." In July 1914 the Austrian press described Serbia and the South Slavs in terns which owed much to Social Darwinism.

War was seen as natural and a viable or even useful instrument of policy. "War was compared to a tonic for a sick patient or a life-saving operation to cut out diseased flesh". Since war was natural for some leaders it was simply a question of timing, and it would be therefore better to have a war when the circumstances where most precipitous. “I consider a war inevitable", declared Moltke in 1912, "The sooner the better".

Nationalism made war a competition between peoples, nations or races rather than kings and elites. Social Darwinism carried a sense of inevitability to conflict and downplayed the use of diplomacy or international agreements to end warfare. It tended to glorify warfare, taking the initiative and the warrior male role.

Social Darwinism played an important role across Europe, but J. Leslie has argued that it played a critical and immediate role in the strategic thinking of some important, hawkish members of the Austro-Hungarian government. Social Darwinism therefore normalised war as an instrument of policy and justified its use.

Social Darwinism affected not only people because of their race but also people who were poor or lower class. Social Darwinism came about in the late 19th and early 20th century. It was a movement based off of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. In other words, species either adapt to their environment through evolution or they die off. This was incorporated with the theory of Social Darwinism where one race is superior to another so there for the more superior races deserved more privileges or deserved to live over the less superior race. According to the article, Social Darwinism in the Gilded Age, "Many Social Darwinists embraced laissez-faire capitalism and racism.  They believed that government should not interfere in the "survival of the fittest" by helping the poor, and promoted the idea that some races are biologically superior to others." A couple races that believed in this theory were the Germans and Nordics. This theory of Social Darwinism not only based who was more superior but also on economic and social status. People who were wealthier or had a higher social status also were considered to be more fit then those who were poor and had a lower social status.

In the article I have chosen I plan to help add information on how and why America got involved in WWI. I may also try and help add some facts as to why WWI began.

Initially the president of the United States wanted to stay out of the war and stay neutral, but that only lasted until Germany sunk Lusitania in 1915. This then made American rethink the thought of staying neutral due to the fact that almost 2,000 passengers died and 128 of them were Americans.

I think that my contribution now will to be to add information on how Social Darwinism contributed to WWI. That portion seems to be a little narrow so I feel as though I could contribute to that portion.

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