What is the importance of Social Darwinism in politics?

It is not only "social Darwinist" supporters of laissez-faire capitalism who have claimed that their political ideals were grounded in evolutionary theory. read more

First, it is an incorrect interpretation of Darwinism. It is important, because it started a whole movement that basically said the poor, downtrodden masses are that way because they have bad genes. Conversely, the rich and famous are that way because they have good genes. So, it justified class structure and the status quo. read more

Social Darwinism was used during the latter portion of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century as a biological justification to further the aims of laissez-faire capitalism, immigration control, eugenics, colonialism and, in one its most extreme applications, Nazism. read more