Socialist Darwinism [Hardcover]

Richard Weikart (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1573092908 | ISBN-13: 978-1573092906 | Publication Date: January 1998

This important new study is an intellectual history exploring the reception of Darwinism by prominent German socialist theoriests: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engles, Friedrich Albert Lange, Ludwig Büchner, August Bebel, Karl Katusky, and Eduard Bernstein. It relies not only on published books, articles, and speeches by these men, but also on some unpublished correspondence. In addition, one chapter covers the anti-socialist stance of prominent Darwinian biologists, including Charles Darwin and the foremost champion of Darwinism in Germany, Ernst Haeckel. Darwinism's effect on German socialism's view of eugenics, race and religion are also discussed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

. . .Weikart provides a methodically written, cogently argued, and impressively documented intellectual history.>>>> (Robert William Goodrich H-Net Reviews )

This analysis is a novel undertaking that definitely occupies a niche in the research on socialist thought. It is meticulously researched, well-written and carefully edited, and contains an extensive bibliography as well as a useful index. . . . This book consequently a valuable resource for students of biology, anthropology, gender studies, and political theory.>>> (German Studies Review )

Highly recommended. . .>>>> (Professor Klaus Fisher )

Highly recommended. . . (Professor Klaus Fisher )

. . .Weikart provides a methodically written, cogently argued, and impressively documented intellectual history. (Robert William Goodrich H-Net Reviews )

This analysis is a novel undertaking that definitely occupies a niche in the research on socialist thought. It is meticulously researched, well-written and carefully edited, and contains an extensive bibliography as well as a useful index. . . . This book consequently a valuable resource for students of biology, anthropology, gender studies, and political theory. (German Studies Review )

About the Author

Richard Weikart is an Associate Professor at California State University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 247 pages
• Publisher: International Scholars Publications (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573092908
• ISBN-13: 978-1573092906
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,753,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Weikart is professor of history at California State Univ., Stanislaus. He earned his Ph.D. in 1994 at the University of Iowa in modern European history with specializations in modern Germany and modern European intellectual history. His dissertation, which was subsequently published as a book, _Socialist Darwinism: Evolution in German Socialist Thought from Marx to Bernstein_, won the biennial prize of the Forum for History of Human Science for best dissertation in that field. He subsequently published with the scholarly publisher Palgrave Macmillan two books on the history of social Darwinism and evolutionary ethics in Germany: _From Darwin to Hitler: Evolutionary Ethics, Eugenics, and Racism in Germany_ and _Hitler's Ethic: The Nazi Pursuit of Evolutionary Progress_. He has also published a book on the theology of Bonhoeffer. In addition to his books, he has published many articles, review essays, and reviews in scholarly journals.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Critically Important Book, January 28, 2008

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This review is from: Socialist Darwinism (Hardcover)

Socialist Darwinism is about the enormous influence Darwinism had on socialism and communism, especially in Germany, which helps us to understand the influence of Darwin on Nazi rule (a topic not directly covered in this work). The book was originally Weikart's doctorial dissertation completed at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA and as part of his Fulbright Fellowship, and later revised. Weikart's excellent work relies heavily on primary sources (most of the references are in German) and is well documented. He shows that Darwinism was applied to both government and social policy, although both the right and the left (socialists) managed to interpret Darwinism to support their ideals (page 126). Weikart also includes an excellent detailed discussion of Marx's and Engels' views of Darwin, correcting some of the common distortions about this part of history (page 15-82). This is probably the most valuable part of the book. As a whole, this very readable work makes a valuable contribution to the history of Darwinism and the impact of Darwin's ideas on science and society. The book also shows the various interpretations of Darwinism that existed historically and the resistance to various aspects of his ideas by scientists and others.