Social Darwinism: A Determinant of Nuclear Arms Policy and Action

Abstract

A quota sample of 679 people completed a questionnaire about their view of the world, their preferred nuclear defense policy, and their political activity. Results showed that people with a low adherence to a social Darwinist world view favored nuclear disarmament and a nonbelligerent defense policy, whereas people with a high adherence favored nuclear arms and a belligerent defense policy. The results also showed that, irrespective of a benign or hostile world view, people's feelings of learned helplessness erected a barrier to political action. But, people lower on social Darwinism overcame the barrier and engaged in more political action than people higher on social Darwinism; and these people were more inclined to vote for, or change their political allegiance to vote for a party that favored nuclear disarmament. The findings demonstrate the importance of social Darwinism as an ideology determining preferred nuclear arms policy and political action and commitment. Also, the findings provide some support for Tomkins's polarity theory.