Social Darwinism and the Social Gospel Movement are contrasting systems of belief.
Social Darwinism suggests that people are in the social or financial state that they deserve.
This appealed to the work ethic that anyone could do well if they worked hard enough. For some, this was a source of inspiration to work hard to excel. The Social Gospel movement proposes that it is the duty of everyone in society to care for the less fortunate. It was based on the Christian principals of doing good works and helping the poor.
Social Darwinism is an attempt to apply Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to humans and races. Herbert Spencer, a British philosopher, believed that the same laws of natural selection observed in nature applied to society. He
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History | Unit 4 | Lesson 16: A New Century Unit Test
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Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited. nothing at the expense of the good is an extreme cruelty. (Keller 551).” Another advocate of social Darwinism, William Graham Summer, a Yale University professor, argued against any government regulation of business or programs intended to promote social or financial equality. He alleged that helping those he considered unfit, was done so at the expense of the fit, therefore, harmful to society. According to Summer, millionaires became rich because they had the judgement, courage and determination to succeed. Social Darwinists felt that the poor, who they believed were lazy with low morals, had only themselves to blame for their condition (Keller 550-551).
Social Gospel was a progressive movement of religious reformers that arose during the second half of the nineteenth century. It put importance on the need for Christians to participate in community service. One of the organizations that participated in this movement was the Salvation Army, let by William and Evangeline Booth. They preached the gospel