Analyse the Relationship between Darwinism and Racism - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... Darwinism believes in individuals controlling their own way of living without the intervention of the government. According to Darwinism, the rich should keep on getting rich while the underprivileged will remain poor. Through the natural selection, only a few individuals benefit while the larger population remains disadvantaged. Although individuals compete in a struggle, only the strong individuals end up surviving at the expense of the weak. Racism has existed for a long time; due to differences in people’s culture or race there may emerge discrimination (Jennings & Cashmore 2001, p. 27). Both racism and Darwinism bring a negative element to a society in which they exist. This assignment will discuss the relationship between Darwinism and racism in regard to the Nigerian context. Darwinism in Nigeria Social Darwinism describes the idea that, just like plants and animals, individuals engage in a struggle for existence, whereby through natural selection, the strong survive. People living in Nigeria have fought for various reasons such as jobs, resources, sports and many other reasons. This depicts how social Darwinism works. The economy of Nigeria has made life hard and the acquisition of resources difficult and strenuous. Employment opportunities are difficult to come by and only a few individuals end up getting jobs. ...
Individuals who have graduated from different colleges and have immense working experience get lucky in the job market. On the contrary, those individuals without any qualification or working experience end up losing in the job market. Darwinism has encouraged individuals who have worked their entire life to overpower individuals who have never worked. It is due to Darwinism that some individuals have climbed the social ladder while others remain at the base of the ladder. This has contributed to the emergence of two or more than two social groups. Despite Darwinism being in the workplace in Nigeria, there is also Darwinism in the acquisition of resources; the powerful use their positions to solicit wealth, which only ends up benefiting them. This has been a concern of distress in Nigeria since the individuals in power apply social Darwinism. They purport that strong individuals should always survive at the expense of the weak (Thakur 2005, p. 33). Those in power have used corruption as a vehicle for getting whatever they require. For example, the PDP, a political force in Nigeria, has applied social Darwinism in its ruling. As a result, the rich have continued benefiting from the power they exercise over the poor. This political power has overpowered the rich through corruption, deception, and depression over the poor. This has made the rich acquire more resources than the poor (Carroll 2003, p.92). Social Darwinism in Nigeria has led to the coexistence of different groups; this has precipitated the emergence of conflicts in the society. Racism in Nigeria Racism is the belief that capabilities and characteristics can be accredited to persons based on their skin color. Racism is an aspect that has existed for a long time ...Download file to see next pagesRead More