What was the main idea of social darwinism?

Hello!

Let's begin with the origin of the term "social Darwinism."
Charles Darwin was a scientist who developed the theory known as "natural selection." The theory explains that animals evolve based on traits that are needed for their environment. For example, if an animal lacks a trait needed to survive, it will likely die. An animal that has the trait is more likely to survive and produce offspring. The animal will then pass the trait down to its offspring. The species then evolves because eventually, all of the animals will have that trait which is needed to survive.

"Social Darwinism" comes from the same concept. It also refers to a form of "survival of the fittest" and natural selection. However, social Darwinism is related to society and social classes. In this case, people belonging to the upper social class are more likely to "survive" in society due to their better living situations and wealth. The people belonging to the lowest social class will have a much harder time "surviving" because they do not have the same wealth, experience, and/or education, making it more difficult for them to thrive in society.

I hope this answers your question! Feel free to comment or PM me if you have any additional questions. Have a great day!