Skewed Evolution

"It seemed obvious that some racial natural law was at work and that the extermination of non-Europeans was simply a stage in the natural development of the world." -Linqvist, 115

Social Darwinism is a concept advocated by Herbert Spencer that states individuals and groups are subject to the same laws of Natural Selection as plants and animals. This was a popular concept in the late 19th/early 20th century. This term could (can) be used to "justify" imperialism and racism and to discourage reform, among other things. In the context of Sven Linqvist's Exterminate all the Brutes, Social Darwinism is a rationale in the killing of indigenous peoples in the Americas. The author is not so much condoning the wiping out of these tribes but giving insight into how policy makers and conquistadors viewed the world.

"Five thousand soldiers were mobilized for a search party to drive all the natives onto a small headland... not a single native had been caught. There were, as it turned out later, only three hundred left." -Linqvist, 120

The above quote refers to the 1820's extermination of the Tasmanians. Colonists came onto the island of Tasmania (SE of Australia) and massacred natives within a year of colonizing. (It is interesting to note that Great Britain sent 24 convicts along with a few soldiers and volunteers for this mission.) After the initial massacre life for the natives was impoverished and they were starving. So, quite understandably, they attacked the settlers. This caused them to be seen as more savage and the need to move them increased. Linqvist writes that the lives of the Tasmanians were in the hands of fate, Natural Selection. The Europeans were simply aiding in the process of modifying and improving Tasmanian descendants. It was almost a compassionate act.

"According to the logic of the Darwinian patricide, we were forced to exterminate our parent species. That included all the 'savage races' of the world." -Lindqvist, 120

Natural Selection is often described or thought of as 'survival of the fittest'. In my biological anthropology class the professor has asked us to please not use that definition, ever. Natural Selection is not just about a massive competition for survival. It is about sex and reproductive success. Adaptations that are better able to acquire scarce resources and therefore mates in their specific environment will survive and reproduce more, leaving more descendants. When looked at from this way, 'Social Darwinism' is completely discredited. As far as patricide, the killing of ones father, I do not think Darwin intended for this to be used in justifying killing off natives and considering them the parent species who needed to die so the next group of people could flourish; obliterating them "to the long since dead world in which they belonged from the viewpoint of evolution" (Lidqvist, 120).

When we step outside of the frame, and toss aside our ideologies that mask our actions, it is only then that we can see history for what it was, and justice can be served. The fingerprints on the smoking gun of holocaust are our own (enotes.com summary).