Racism Colonialism and The Development of the Third World essays

Racism Colonialism and The Development of the Third World essays Charles Darwin was the first person to propose the theory of "natural selection" and "Survival of the fittest" by which he explained the inner workings of nature to either help sustain or eliminate a species. According to the theory it is the design of nature to sustain the healthy and the strong so that best of species survive to create a stronger progeny. The theory of evolution explains the alteration in characteristics of species over a period of time to survive the adverse conditions. Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest has been much espoused by political leaders and it has been used extensively to support and explain their colonial and imperialistic tendencies. Even some religious leaders used Darwin's theory to explain racial and religious superiority. The writings of Josiah Strong, the protestant reformer of the ninetieth century clearly echoes his belief of the superiority of the Anglo Saxon race. Strong's writing indicates an intense religious tone combined with racial prejudice. He explains that the Anglo Saxons, the predominant population in America, are the most evolved and fittest of all human kind. The frontier expansion and continuous subjugation of the native Indians are, as he explains them, events that were designed by Mother Nature. He even gives a religious tone to the imperialistic notions of the Anglo Saxons by explaining them as god's way of ensuring the ultimate evangelization of the world'. As he explains "the wheels of history are the chariot wheels of the almighty, there is with every revolution, an onward movement toward the goal of his eternal purposes". The highly mixed nature of the Anglo Saxon race is explained as the reason for the strong racial stock that it is. As he says, "the best nations are the most widely related". So Strong argues that America is well on its way to producing the best ever civilization in the world and tha...