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Charles Darwin often gets the credit, but he didn't come up with the phrase. The honor belongs to English philosopher Herbert Spencer, who first used it in his 1864 book, "Principles of Biology." Spencer was a big believer in Darwin's theory of natural selection. For those who aren't familiar, natural selection is the theory that "only the most well-adapted individuals in a population will survive and reproduce." Spencer's phrase was a kind of metaphor that took into account social factors like wealth and power. Spencer believed that individuals who possessed these traits were more fit, and hence, more likely to survive. Over the years,
Spencer's famous phrase has come under fire. Many feel it justifies the suffering of the poor by saying they are "unfit" or in some way unworthy. Nevertheless, Spencer maintains a sizable fan base. According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Spencer's work is often cited by libertarians on government-related issues "and the fundamental character of individual rights."
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