Social Darwinism

US History

18-2 Questions

Classes owe each other the guarantee of rights. As Sumner said each class owes each other the chance to earn, to possess, to learn, and to marry. If any laws or social arrangements are unfair it is the duty of the higher classes to advocate for the correction of these rules in order to allow others to peacefully be able to exercise their rights. Classes are defined based on their productivity. For example when someone is only a consumer and does not contribute to society he is then considered to be a burden. This person is then given aid from the state that is taken from other classes. So classes are based on importance and their contribution to society; the more one can contribute to society the higher class they are. So people who were a burden to society were of lower class due to their lack of importance and people who supported others were higher classes as they were more important.

A social structure based on contracts is very good because it breaks down the barrier of classes. Contracts are straightforward as they are made for a certain reason and only last until the reason or need is met. Contracts unite free men to cooperate together. The relationship between contracts and freedom is that people have the freedom to accept or deny contracts and does not make people obligated to do something unless put under contract.

This distinction between rights and results is important because rights are not a guarantee such as the example where the ownership of property was a right but not an obligation. Others did not have to give away their land to others in order for them to own land. If rights resulted in results everyone would be taking away from everyone. Sumner gives another example where if rights resulted in results then people could say they must be equally happy which is unrealistic. Increasing chances create inequality because chances allows some people to succeed greatly while others will suffer greatly thus creating a gap as more chances are increased. Great inequality was both a good and bad sign for American society. This follows the American dream where one can make it big and rich but it shows the down side in American society where some people suffer greatly. Based on this document greater inequality is a good sign because that means more chances are being made. The document says that by increasing, multiplying or extending chances shows the work of civilization which can be done through education, science, art, or government. So with more inequality it shows that there are more chances being created showing a improvement in a healthy society.

Sumner's view is that people who have wealth should support people who do not have wealth. The government should support people and become their protector and guardian and give everyone equal rights and chances. Agents may disagree with this because some people are not willing to move themselves up classes or out of poverty thus continuing to take free money or help from others. The agents would want to just give money but Sumner says that instead these people in poverty should be given chances to better themselves and not to rely on the help from others.

18-3 Questions

Nature is rich because humans are overproducing natural goods such as coal, iron lumber and flour. Humans are poor because the majority of people can never buy enough of anything but have to much too much of everything to sell such as their belongings or labor. The social consequences from “bigness” or monopolies is the effect on the middle class. These big companies raise prices at the expense of its consumers but can also lower prices to wipe away competition. This shows that monopolies destroy the middle class by overpricing goods or destroying competition that would otherwise help by creating fair prices or improve