For you who believe in evolution....?

I don't agree with it but it does occur. Racism, Nazism for starters are probably a result of Social Darwinism. It's like that George Orwell book "Animal Farm" and the claim "all men are equal but some are more equal than others".

It is simply a term applied to Darwins theory of competition driving the evolutionary change and a belief that this also drives social evolution, but it is not a theory that he applied. I think as a theory it pre-dates Darwin.

Well, evolution just happens. My opinion about it doesn't change the fact that it's there, just like gravity happens whether I believe in it or not. But because I also believe in it I get to answer this question.

Social Darwinism is a way of looking at culture using the theory evolution as a model. But it's not a very good approach because the most significant thing about evolution is sexual reproduction which results in inheritable traits (some of which may be beneficial mutations) being passed on. Social interaction does not involve inheritance, random mutation, or the combining of two separate strands of anything even analagous to RNA.

But if even a single person on this planet has believed in it and acted accordingly then I must admit that it exists. So yes, I believe in Social Darwinism. I think it's misguided, simplistic, and dangerous, but I can't deny it exists.

I don't think that "believe" is the correct term to use when discussing biology or philosophy.

As far as social Darwinism goes, which is a silly term IMO, I think it is basically true, but overly simplifed. And the term itself is misleading. The fact that ambition leads to success existed long before Darwin ever did any of his research.

This is an equivocation fallacy.

You are asking us if we believe in (ie accept as true)evolution.

Then you ask us if we believe in (subscribe to or endorse)Social Darwinism.

If we say yes, referring to the first definition, you can claim we meant the second, with the attendent accusations of racism, sexism, or other bigotry.

If we say no, referring to the second definition, you can claim we meant the first, and accuse us of inconsistency or hypocracy.

As worded, your question does not have a "straight" answer

social darwinism is a layman's idea for what happens to human cultures. I suppose there's some "survival of the fittest" going on there, but it's not darwinism which is really only applicable to biology.

You do realize that the theory of evolution has progressed a long way from the time of Darwin?

"Just as competition between individual organisms drives biological evolutionary change (speciation) through the survival of the fittest, competition between individuals, groups, nations or ideas drives social evolution in human societies."

-Wikipedia

Sounds a lot like capitalism. Am I missing something?

Evolution is a fact.

Social Darwinism is nothing more than masked racism.

Of course not. Social Darwinism is oddly enough believed exactly by the people who reject evolution -- by rich Evangelical republicans.

Two million years from now the Scientists can start a dispute by claiming the beings from that era are descended from us.