The Concept and Origins of Scientific Racism [By Hallan de Oliveira]

 Scientific racism, a concept that gained strength in the 19th century, was based on the distortion of scientific theories, mainly evolutionary ones, to justify racial hierarchy and the domination of certain groups over others. The origins of this distorted thinking lie in a context of scientific and social advances, but also of profound inequalities and the search for justifications for domination.

Anthropology, in its early phase, was one of the fields that contributed most to the rise of scientific racism.

Physical anthropology, focused on anatomical differences between human groups, quickly adopted the concept of "race".

This classification, combined with the discoveries of prehistoric fossils, such as Neanderthal Man, led some to associate certain physical characteristics with proximity to "lower stages" of human evolution.

Cultural anthropology, in turn, proposed that different cultures represented distinct stages in social evolution, culminating in the European "modern civilization".

Edward Burnett Tylor, one of the exponents of this line of thought, argued that humanity progressed from primitive "animism" to monotheistic religions and, finally, to the triumph of science.
These ideas, although defended by some scientists, were not supported by the scientific theories of the time.
The theory of evolution, in its essence, assumed equality among human beings since their emergence as Homo sapiens, subject to the same natural laws, but in different historical contexts.
The distorted popularization of scientific concepts, such as the "survival of the fittest", contributed to the spread of racism.
The idea of ​​"progress" was mistakenly associated with racial superiority, justifying the domination of European countries over other peoples.
Racism served as a way of rationalizing social inequalities in a period marked by the rise of the bourgeoisie and the spread of liberal and egalitarian ideals.
The contradiction between egalitarian ideology and the reality of an unequal society led to the search for justifications for class domination, and racism presented itself as a convenient response.
Science, the main asset of liberalism, was distorted to defend the idea that men were not equal, legitimizing privileges and social hierarchies.
Racism infiltrated several areas of knowledge, influencing the thinking of the time, even though it was not supported by scientific theories.
The belief in the inferiority of certain racial groups was widespread, manifesting itself in the horror of miscegenation and the idea that racial mixing would result in the degeneration of the species.

In short, scientific racism arose from the distortion of scientific concepts to justify racial and social domination. This distorted thinking was based on the racial classification of physical anthropology, the hierarchical interpretation of cultural evolution, and the mistaken application of concepts such as the "survival of the fittest." Despite having no scientific basis, racism permeated 19th century thinking, serving as a way of rationalizing inequalities in a society that was supposed to be egalitarian.