1 / 14

Economic Ideologies in Society: Laissez-Faire vs. Social Darwinism

Explore the contrasting philosophies of Laissez-Faire and Social Darwinism in economics through the lens of William Graham Sumner and Andrew Carnegie. Understand their impact on societal disparities and the role of government in shaping economic systems.

beatricee
Download Presentation

Economic Ideologies in Society: Laissez-Faire vs. Social Darwinism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Self Reliance/Survival of the Fittest Section 4.2 Day 8

  2. Agenda for Today • Current Event Update • Negative Ads • Negative Ads • Negative Ads • Negative Ads - • Brooklyn Bridge Presentation • 4.2 Survival of the Fittest slide show • Homework • Read

  3. 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 • 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 • Where would this ideology fall on the political spectrum? • RIGHT

  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

  9. 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

  10. 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 http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5766/

More Related