How did Andrew Carnegie's views about the duty of wealthy men reflect his belief in social Darwinism?

• A. He argued that wealth should be distributed equally among all members of society to reduce social inequality.
• B. He thought that government intervention was necessary to ensure the survival of the weakest members of society.
• C. He believed that the wealthy should use their resources to help society progress, as their success demonstrated their superior abilities.
• D. He advocated for the abolition of private property to promote collective well-being.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of Social Darwinism, which applies the idea of 'survival of the fittest' from biological evolution to social and economic contexts, suggesting that success and wealth are signs of superior ability.
2. Recognize that Andrew Carnegie, influenced by Social Darwinism, believed that wealthy individuals had a responsibility to use their wealth for the betterment of society, as their success indicated they were the 'fittest' in a social sense.
3. Analyze Carnegie's view that instead of simply accumulating wealth or redistributing it equally, the wealthy should actively invest in public goods like education, libraries, and cultural institutions to help society progress.
4. Contrast Carnegie's perspective with other options, such as equal wealth distribution or government intervention, which do not align with his belief in the natural superiority of the successful and their duty to contribute positively.
5. Conclude that Carnegie's stance reflects Social Darwinism by emphasizing that the wealthy's success is a sign of their superior abilities and that they have a moral obligation to use their resources to advance society.