1. The Industrial Revolution
Click for “Lion King Clip”
Social Darwinism
Day 7 Section 6.3 (Appleby )

2. Objectives: By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Define Laissez-faire
Identify William Graham Sumner and his philosophy Social Darwinism
Identify Andrew Carnegie and his philosophy of the Gospel of Wealth
Develop your political view on the role of government in economics

4. Discussion Questions What did you observe?
What justifies who would survive and who would die?

5. Who was Charles Darwin? A Scientist Origin of the Species 1859
Major Theories
Survival of the Fittest
Natural Selection
What if we apply this ideology to other aspects of society?
Race, nationality, economics

6. What is a Laissez-Faire Economic Policy?
“let it (nature) be”
Government should stay out of economy
Based on Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations”
Hated mercantilism
Let Invisible Hand of nature run economy
Which side of political spectrum?

7. Is there any justification for such economic disparity?

8. Describe William Graham Sumner’s idea of Social Darwinism:
Definition: belief that people in society compete for survival and that superior individuals, groups, etc. become powerful and rich
Natural selection
fittest succeed
unfit sink into poverty and become extinct
Sumner-
American sociologist who popularized S.D.
Attempts to justify why the rich are so rich…they’re better

10. Describe Carnegie’s childhood and teenage years:
Poor immigrant
Rags to Riches
Messenger in telegraph office (14)
Became assistant to president in PA RR
Invested savings in RR & oil
Began own business manufacturing iron bridges

12. Describe Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth:
Carnegie’s essay that says justifies social Darwinism
‘Natural aristocracy’ should control economy
BUT, Wealthy have obligation to aid the less fortunate
Help them help themselves
Laissez-Faire is beneficial to all because weak links are eliminated, best rise to the top