[Alamo-Girl]

Indeed. I believe the theory gave strength to the ideological devaluing of unwanted peoples as untermenschen (under men).

To the Nazis these were the Jews, Gypsies, Poles, Serbs, Russians, etc.

And to modern people around the world, sadly, it is the unborn and soon to include the "useless eaters" - the elderly, sick and handicapped.

Thank you so much for your insights, dear YHAOS!

[BroJoeK]

Alamo-Girl: "I believe the theory gave strength to the ideological devaluing of unwanted peoples as untermenschen (under men)."

That argument might have some validity, if such things had never happened before Evolution Theory came along.
But in sad fact, both history and pre-history are chock full of previous examples of mass murders & exterminations.
Some can even be found in the Bible, on which Charles Darwin exercised no -- zero, zip, nada -- influence.

Human nature remains relatively constant, while the excuses we make for our misbehavior change with the seasons.
In this particular case, Nazis' used Darwin just as pseudo-scientifically as they otherwise used Christianity pseudo-religiously.
Reminds you of our own Liberal/Progressives, doesn't it?