Social Darwinism is defined by Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as "an extension of Darwinism to social phenomena; specifically : a theory in sociology: sociocultural advance is the product of intergroup conflict and competition and the socially elite classes (as those possessing wealth and power) possess biological superiority in the struggle for existence." In summary, Social Darwinism is the theory where those who are on top of the class structure belong there because they struggled and gained their superiority through their success over lesser human beings. This statement is shown to be severely false, when looked at through a scientific perspective. Social Darwinism was an excuse used merely to have a reason to oppress those differing in race, gender, class, or otherwise. Used against blacks to promote harsh racism, and segregation, used against women to try to justify their ill treatment, and placement in society, or used against the working class in an attempt to prove that they belong there, Social Darwinism defended prejudice, and oppression. This idea was structured on the misinterpretation of Darwinian theory, and conjured to justify discrimination against blacks and women socially, and against the working class economically, all the while being defended through little or no interaction by government.
             In the United States, a large battle had begun on the topic of Social Darwinism, also known as Eugenics, a term given by Darwin's cousin Francis Galton in 1869 (Gale Research). This battle was between the Yale professor William Graham Sumner, and his opponent Lester Frank Ward. Sumner supported the ideas of Eugenics, protected them, and argued for them stating, "...[let] natural selection take its own course." While Ward on the other hand argued against the ideas of Social Darwinism, especially with his book Dynamic Sociology (1883) where he showed that Social Darwinism was a fal...