It is true that Social Darwinism was widely accepted, most notably by the
British who used as an intellectual underpinning for their domination of of
various people of color around the world.  Up until the 1960s Racism was
institutionalized in America through legal segregation.  Apartheid in S.
Africa was an institutionalized, legalized political infrastructure designed
to keep a majority population under the control of a minority class.  And it
is argued by some that the American empire is based on a fundamental concept
that might makes right and the strongest nations have every right to impose
their will on less powerful nations/cultures etc.

Bill Wagner
-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Romano <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, June 27, 2000 7:53 AM
Subject: Pound and Darwin


>Pound sociological and political views resemble those of the "social
>darwinists".  The race and immigration policies of the industrialized
>nations in the early 20th c. reflect that view of the human species.
Pound's
>support for imperialism is based on social darwinistic first principles,
>attenuated by progressivism, far more than on considerations of
Realpolitik.
>His anti-semitism is often expressed in social darwinistic eugenic terms:
>"the Jew bankers" are conspiring to destroy the integrity of the racial
>stock. When one focuses on these relations, Pound will appear less a
>demented aberration willing to bury scholars alive, and more a product and
>reflection of an intellectual milieu. These views with respect to social
>engineering have been so completely demonized that the contemporary student
>might not come to understand how they were the province of policy wonks and
>university presidents.
>
>Tim Romano
>
>> Tim Romano quoted Pound as saying:
>>
>>
>> As to sacrifices, I think the body of notes on the
>>   subject, everything that has come to my attention,
>>   is just plain stupid to the point of imbecility.
>>   'Pleasing to heaven,' etc.  Various ideas of pleasing
>>   the spirits are all very well, but there could still be
>>   a lesson in animal sacrifice for any group that had
>>   evolved beyond primitive stages.  Animals are killed
>>   now in abattoirs; the sight of a
>>   killing can remind us in the midst of our normal
>>   semi-conscious-ness of all that goes on in our vile
>>   and degraded mercantilist ambience, THAT LIFE
>> EXISTS BY THE DESTRUCTION OF OTHER LIFE.
>>   The sight  of one day's hecatomb might even cause thought in
>>   the midst of our democracy and usuriocracy
>>         (S.P., 68).
>>
>> [ my emphasis ]
>>
>> >Any Darwinian  influence on Pound's ideas about race and eugenics?
Social
>> >order and class? Fascism?
>>
>> You raise the question, so I assume you must have a very interesting take
>on
>> it, well worth hearing.  How would you answer the questions you raised,
>and
>> why do you raise these particular questions?  And why do you highlight
>that
>> particular part of the quote?  (And how is Darwin relevant here, in your
>> view?)
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Wei