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Difficulty: Very hardRationales for Imperialism

"History shows me one way, and one way only, in which a high state of civilization has been produced, namely, the struggle of race with race, and the survival of the physically and mentally fitter race. If you want to know whether the lower races of man can be evolved into the higher, I answer that it can only be done by the path of struggle, by the selective action of a harsh environment, and by the elimination of those who do not conform to the new conditions."

—Karl Pearson, British mathematician and theorist, National Life from the Standpoint of Science, 1900

The arguments expressed in the passage were most directly used by late-nineteenth-century imperialists to justify which of the following?

  1. The acquisition of colonies and the subjugation of indigenous populations as a necessary part of global human progressAnswer
  2. B
    The implementation of state-funded welfare programs to assist the urban working class in surviving industrial hardships
  3. C
    The empirical validation of biological natural selection through scientific studies of cultural differences
  4. D
    The expansion of economic spheres of influence in East Asia through private joint-stock companies rather than territorial conquest

Answer

The acquisition of colonies and the subjugation of indigenous populations as a necessary part of global human progress
The correct answer is correct because the passage reflects Social Darwinism, an ideology that applied biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to human societies and races. Late-nineteenth-century imperialists used this reasoning to argue that stronger nations (specifically European powers) were biologically destined to conquer and displace weaker ones, framing colonization as a natural and necessary element of global progress.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus passage for key historical concepts and perspectives.
The author argues that civilization is produced by the 'struggle of race with race' and the 'survival of the physically and mentally fitter race.'
This establishes the core ideological framework of the source, which is Social Darwinism applied to global populations.
2
Connect the identified ideology to the historical context of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
During this period, European powers and other imperial states were actively expanding their colonial empires through military conquest and political domination.
Imperialists used scientific racism and Social Darwinist concepts to justify the subjugation and displacement of indigenous peoples as a natural law of progress.
3
Evaluate the options to identify the correct application of the document's perspective.
The option asserting that the passage justifies colonization and subjugation as a part of human progress matches the author's emphasis on racial struggle as the path to higher civilization.
This directly demonstrates how Social Darwinist arguments were used to legitimize imperialism.

Key Concept

Rationales for Imperialism
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Rationales for Imperialism

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