Who was a key proponent of Social Darwinism during the Gilded Age?

• A. Charles Darwin
• B. Herbert Spencer
• C. Andrew Carnegie
• D. John D. Rockefeller

Answer: (B)

Herbert Spencer is recognized as a key proponent of Social Darwinism during the Gilded Age because he was the one who applied Darwinian concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to societal and economic contexts. Spencer's ideas suggested that social progress resulted from the natural competition among individuals and groups, which mirrored the biological theories of Charles Darwin but was adapted to justify social inequalities and the success of some individuals over others in the economy.

While Charles Darwin developed the scientific theory of evolution, his work focused on biological processes and did not directly endorse the application of these concepts to human society. Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, although influential industrialists of the era, were more focused on practical business strategies and philanthropy rather than on the development of Social Darwinist ideology. Spencer's writings effectively promoted the notion that the wealthy were inherently superior and that their success in business was a natural outcome of this superiority, leading to a significant impact on societal views during the Gilded Age.