Survival of the fittest

Posted by Teaera Bailey September 19, 2000In reply to Survival of the fittest posted by ESC on March 04, 2000

who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest"?

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST -- From John Barlett's Quotations: Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882: "The expression used by Mr. Herbert Spencer, of the Survival of the Fittest, is more accurate, and is sometimes equally convenient." "Origin of the Species" .

Mr. Spencer (1820-1903), according to my child's history book, was "social Darwinist Herbert Spencer, who objected even to public schools and postal system." And, according to my other child's paper on social Darwinism, "Social Darwinism is, essentially, the application of Darwin's Theory of Evolution in social relations.The best and the brightest survive while the weak and the slow die off.One of Social Darwinism's first (and greatest) proponents was Herbert Spencer."