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William Graham Sumner justified Social Darwinism by asserting that society naturally evolves through a process of "survival of the fittest," in which individuals and groups succeed or fail based on their inherent traits. He believed that enforcing social or economic assistance to less successful individuals would interfere with this natural selection process and ultimately undermine societal progress. Sumner argued that the disparities in wealth and success were a result of natural differences, and thus, aiding the poor or the less capable would be counterproductive, hindering societal evolution. His ideas promoted a laissez-faire attitude, emphasizing minimal government intervention and the importance of individual responsibility in economic matters.

In relation to Gilded Age economics, Sumner’s Social Darwinism provided ideological support for the era's laissez-faire policies, unchecked capitalism, and minimal regulation of business. Wealth accumulation by industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie was viewed as a natural outcome of their superior qualities, rather than the result of unfair practices or monopolistic strategies. This ideology also justified economic inequality, portraying it as a reflection of natural order rather than societal failure. Consequently, Social Darwinism contributed to the justification of policies that favored big businesses and aimed to keep the economic system relatively unregulated, exacerbating the disparity between the rich and the poor during the Gilded Age.

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William Graham Sumner, a prominent sociologist and economist of the late 19th century, vigorously justified Social Darwinism through the lens of natural selection. He posited that society’s progress depended on the survival of the most capable and adaptive individuals, aligning with Darwin’s biological theories. Sumner believed that government intervention to assist the less fortunate or to regulate economic activities would interfere with the natural order that dictated societal evolution. He viewed poverty and failure as consequences of individual deficiencies rather than systemic issues, emphasizing personal responsibility and free-market principles as the best mechanisms for societal advancement. This perspective reinforced the belief that economic disparities were not only inevitable but also necessary for societal progress.

In the context of the Gilded Age, Sumner’s Social Darwinism served as a powerful ideological justification for the rapid economic growth, minimal regulation, and vast wealth concentration characteristic of the period. Wealthy industrialists and capitalists were seen as "fittest" in the social hierarchy, and their success was viewed as evidence of their superior qualities. This perspective effectively supported laissez-faire policies, which minimized government interference in business affairs, fostering an environment ripe for monopolies and unrestrained capitalism. As a result, Social Darwinism contributed to the justification of social inequalities and justified economic practices that favored big corporations, often at the expense of workers and the impoverished, thereby reinforcing the social and economic landscape of the Gilded Age.