What Charles Darwin thinks about racism
British naturalist (1809 to 1882), born in Shrewsbury; sailed as naturalist on the five-year voyage of HMS Beagle from 1831; author of On the Origin of Species.
Charles Darwin did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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5 dated positions, c. 1872 to c. 1871–1874, in their own words. Our reading of what Charles Darwin has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Our readingOnce sympathy reaches the whole nation, only an artificial barrier keeps it from all races
Their wordsAs man advances in civilisation, and small tribes are united into larger communities, the simplest reason would tell each individual that he ought to extend his social instincts and sympathies to all the members of the same nation, though personally unknown to him. This point being once reached, there is only an artificial barrier to prevent his sympathies extending to the men of all nations and races.
↗The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (second edition, 1874)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
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Our readingWithin a few centuries civilised races will almost certainly exterminate and replace savage races
Their wordsAt some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world.
↗The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (second edition, 1874)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
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Their wordsBut here we are at once met by the objection that beneficial variations alone can be thus preserved; and as far as we are enabled to judge, although always liable to err on this head, none of the differences between the races of man are of any direct or special service to him.
↗The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (second edition, 1874)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
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Our readingOf all causes, sexual selection has been the most effective in making human races look different
Their wordsFor my own part I conclude that of all the causes which have led to the differences in external appearance between the races of man, and to a certain extent between man and the lower animals, sexual selection has been the most efficient.
↗The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (second edition, 1874)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
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Their wordsI have endeavoured to show in considerable detail that all the chief expressions exhibited by man are the same throughout the world. This fact is interesting, as it affords a new argument in favour of the several races being descended from a single parent-stock, which must have been almost completely human in structure, and to a large extent in mind, before the period at which the races diverged from each other.
↗The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book