HIS 106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Helmuth Von Moltke The Elder, Social Darwinism, Militarism

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: History
• Course: HIS 106
• Professor: Jennifer Hubbard

Document Summary

The science and technology of the first world war: causes and effects (cid:894)co(cid:374)t"d(cid:895) French revolution, napoleonic wars gave rise to new nationalism. German militarization by helmut von moltke (1800 1891) Germany united by otto von bismarck (1815 1898) prime minister of germany. Motivated by theories of racial superiority (social darwinism) The congo conference of 1884 1(cid:1012)(cid:1012)5 i(cid:374) be(cid:396)li(cid:374) laid the (cid:271)asis fo(cid:396) the (cid:862)scramble for africa(cid:863) Germany acquired its first colonies in 1880s and 1890s. Charles darwin (1809 1882) devised theory of evolution by natural selection. Central theory: evolution is caused by competition between members of the same species: food, habitat, etc. Darwin said his theory was not a theory of progress; it was just change. He did (cid:374)ot (cid:272)oi(cid:374) the te(cid:396)(cid:373) (cid:862) u(cid:396)(cid:448)i(cid:448)al of the fittest(cid:863) But later he did adopt this term. Pe(cid:374)(cid:272)e(cid:396)"s philosophi(cid:272)al s(cid:455)ste(cid:373) (cid:862) (cid:455)(cid:374)theti(cid:272) philosoph(cid:455)(cid:863) sought to replace christianity. P(cid:396)ese(cid:374)t a(cid:374)d futu(cid:396)e ge(cid:374)e(cid:396)atio(cid:374)s (cid:373)ust e(cid:454)pe(cid:396)ie(cid:374)(cid:272)e the (cid:862)(cid:374)atu(cid:396)al(cid:863) (cid:272)o(cid:374)se(cid:395)ue(cid:374)(cid:272)es of thei(cid:396) (cid:272)o(cid:374)du(cid:272)t.