Question

Part A
Social Darwinism used the idea of “survival of the fittest” to make a case for a laissez-faire approach to business. Social Darwinists thought the government should not regulate business because only the best should last. Write a brief essay explaining some of the government’s actions around the turn of the century that social Darwinists would not have approved of.
Part B
Then think about another philosophy that developed in the late nineteenth century. The Social Gospel taught that it was a person’s duty to help others in need, not just prepare for an afterlife. Write a brief essay describing some of the actions that people took to practice the beliefs of the Social Gospel

Answer 1

During the turn of the century, the beginning of the 20th, Social Darwinists would not have approved of the New Deal program and all other types of social welfare programs where the government intervened to help the poor and unemployed. They would also disapprove of trust busting and anything similar since it would again be government meddling. The social gospel on the other hand supported all programs that helped people who were endangered in any way. You can use this as a starting point for your essays and for your research.