By Paul Weiser
Social Darwinism, that nineteenth-century pseudo- morality used to justify Nazi and other racist atrocities, arose from Darwin's original theories. Our present, more complex theory of evolution shows the fallacy of social Darwinism on its own terms - aside from its demonstrated horrendous results.
In Darwin's original theory, species succeeded in static, closed environments by gradually developing traits which let them displace less "fit" species. Social Darwinism substituted race/culture of humans for species to rationalize genocide and colonialism. The Aryan/white man must exterminate lesser races to vindicate his "fitness."
The weakness of early Darwinism lay in its assumptions: the fossil record disconfirms gradual change, and no environment is truly closed. Modern evolutionary thought arrived at a more complex theory, "saltation," in which species in particular geographic/environmental niches remain stable over long periods - but when environments suddenly change or join there is a brief battle the invaders win because characteristics from their formerly limited domain let them surpass those without them. Populations then stabilize until the next change/merger.
In a way, this matches European experience: Germans invading Lithuania and South West Africa certainly surpassed the natives. But other environmental mergers work the other way: Turks succeed in Germany, and though Britons once ruled India, Indians and Pakistanis now thrive in Britain.
In other words, European (specifically German) success resulted partly from one-way connections European sea transport created. In wider terms the Jewish "invasion" of Europe from the Middle East was an equally valid cultural (if not "racial") success, carving out a place in European environments turning from brawn to brains.
Bottom line: "saltation" robs social Darwinism of its legitimizing power, for "fitness" of a species (or "race") results from qualities developed in isolation, not competition. The ability to invade and slaughter cannot justify its exercise, though defense of borders makes sense until it fails.
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