What Social Darwinism had to do with business and labor

Social Darwinism was a philosophical position that justified the harsh treatment of poor workers (labor), and the exploitation and enrichment o a few capitalist individuals (the owners of the businesses).

Social Darwinists thought that business owners were inherently superior to workers who did not own capital, and thought that they had the right to step on workers just like a lion catches a zebra in the wild. Social Darwinism is simply the adaptation of the theories of Darwin to explain the natural world, into the social world.

- encouraging nationalism

- returning to conservative political policies

lincoln presided over the union victory in the american civil war, which dominated his presidency. a former whig, lincoln ran on a political platform opposed to the expansion of slavery in the territories. his election served as the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the american civil war.