Andrea and Overfield, The Human Record, Sources of Global History Vol Essay - 1

Andrea and Overfield, The Human Record, Sources of Global History Vol. II (Cengage) hereafter AO - Essay Example afford many amenities which used to be beyond the reach of most people depending on their stature as middle class if they are traders (which makes more money), craftsman or worker, amenities. Middle class were also able to afford education which used to be exclusive to the royalties and land owners. The rising economic stature of middle class however did not only gave rise to entrepreneurialism and industry but also the drive to profit at the expense of anything that resulted in exploitation. From having nothing to having the chance of having a lot of things, the middle class was driven to become rich. Thus, social Darwinism came about where the fittest are the only one that will survive. Social Darwinism states that human beings are no different from other organisms such as animals and plants that they too have to struggle to survive resulting in the natural selection of survival of the fittest (Bannister, 2000). This concept is based on the theory of Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution whereby people should be left on their own to compete and advocated a laissez-faire  political and economic system that promotes competition in all spheres of life. As a result, exploitative industrial practice were done during the Industrial Revolution where employing children in the coal mines became rampant that the Industrial Revolution became synonymous with child labor along with its economic prosperity. It is debatable if exploitation and industrial aggressiveness of the middle class to achieve economic prosperity is justified in resorting to Darwinism. Probably, the right operative term would be the consequence of the determination of the middle class to achieve economic prosperity as they tried their best effort to accumulate wealth which they never had before the Industrial Revolution. And perhaps it could too be justified that such social Darwinism was necessary so that industry will flourish and lay down the infrastructure of the future. It is just a