Is the Theory of Evolution Inherently Racist?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines evolution as:

"the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed, especially by natural selection."

Though we all know this theory very well, have we ever truly considered its implications? We've heard this as (not literally) gospel truth from our high school science teachers and have swallowed it whole without too much more explanation or evidence. Why should we delve deeper, we have so much going on it our lives? It makes sense, it sounds good, and we don't have energy to question everything we hear.

But is this theory racist? Yes this politically correct, you're-an-archaic-right-wing-nut-if-you-don't-believe-this, almost universally accepted theory definitely has undertones of racism.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is defined as:

"...a belief or ideology that all members of each racial group possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as being either superior or inferior to another racial group or racial groups."

Let's now review the Oxford English Dictionary for natural selection (as seen in the definition of evolution):

"the evolutionary process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring."

This definitions sounds purposefully blunt and non-judgmental. It offers that nature is the selcetor of whom is "better adapted". Couldn't "better adapted" be substituted with "superior"? And when we hear something is superior certainly there must be something to be compared. Therefore the compared is inferior. And who can argue with nature?


Evolution is the theory that natural selection weeds out the fittest and thus these survive. The not-so-fittest die out. Can this theory be applied to all things in nature but not the human races? We snidely nod our heads that the species X justly died out because it couldn't keep up with its more fit cousin, species Y, who avoided predators better and found food easier. Is it a stretch to put that to the human races, to the mentally ill or disabled, or even the sexes?

Whether or not evolution is racist does not prove or disprove the theory. I merely write this article to bring you attention that evolution has and could continue to be used as a scientific justification for outright racism, genocide, slavery, or euthanasia.

On second thought, evolution is not so politically correct.

To read more on this subject I suggest, "Bones of Contention" by Marvin L. Lubenow.