Social Darwinism : science and myth in Anglo-American social thought ; with a new preface

Robert C. Bannister is Scheuer Professor of History at Swarthmore College. Attempts to assess the role played by Darwinian ideas in the writings of English-speaking social theorists. "The most systematic and comprehensive effort yet made to assess the role played by Darwinian ideas in the writings of English-speaking social theorists of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries." Isis "In seeking to set the record straight, Bannister cuts through the amalgam with an intellectual shredder, exposing the illogic and incompatibility involved in fusing Charles Darwins On the Origin of Species with Herbert Spencers Social Statics.... Bannisters familiarity with relevant texts and their reception by contemporary social theorists, scholars, and critics on both sides of the Atlantic is impressive." Journal of Interdisciplinary History "A fine contribution to Anglo-American intellectual history." Journal of American History Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: The Idea of Social Darwinism......Page 36 1. The Scientific Background......Page 47 2. Hushing Up Death......Page 67 3. Philanthropic Energy and Philosophic Calm......Page 90 4. Amending the Faith......Page 112 5. William Graham Sumner......Page 130 6. The Survival of the Fittest Is Our Doctrine......Page 147 7. Neo-Darwinism and the Crisis of the 1890s......Page 170 8. A Pigeon Fanciers' Polity......Page 197 9. The Scaffolding of Progress......Page 213 10. The Nietzsche Vogue......Page 234 11. Beyond the Battle: The Literary Naturalists......Page 245 12. Imperialism and the Warriar Critique......Page 259 Epilogue: From Histrionics to History......Page 276 Notes......Page 286 Index......Page 324 Introduction: The idea of Social Darwinism The scientific background Hushing up death Philantropic energy and philosophic calm Amending the faith William Graham Sumner The survival of the fittest is our doctrine Neo-Darwinism and the crisis of the 1890s A pigeon fanciers' polity The scaffolding of progress The Nietzsche vogue Beyond the battle: the literary naturalists Imperialism and the warrior critique Epilogue: From histronics to history.