Benjamin Kidd

Benjamin Kidd (* 1858, † 1916 ) was a British sociologist who was known by the published in 1894 in England work social evolution, one translated in several languages ​​bestseller. Kidd represents it as a social Darwinism, which takes one hand on August Weismann's neo-Darwinism reference, on the other hand sees religion as an essential factor of a socially progressive evolution. He sees Christianity as an essential factor for the success of the Western world, and especially the English society as the most advanced.

Because of the teleological elements his work has been called very early as pseudoscience. Kidd was a vehement opponent of eugenics. Since Kidd's Social Darwinism takes a moderate position with regard to the traditionally associated with the social Darwinism political conservatism, laissez -faire policy, imperialism and racism, he is regarded as unconventional Social Darwinist. A religious embossed Social Darwinism is to be found in Henry Drummond.