World history/WHME102/Impact of imperialism/Social Darwinism primary source

Reading

Charles Darwin, c.1874.

Read the below lecture. This lecture was given in 1900 by Professor Karl Pearson, and entitled 'National Life from the Standpoint of Science'.

As you do so, consider the following questions:

• How does Pearson justify imperialism?

• Who does he identify as 'inferior races' and on what grounds?

Karl Pearson, National Life from the Standpoint of Science, London: Adam and Charles Black, 1905.

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