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Sumner played with a Social Darwinist themes borrowed from [[Herbert Spencer]] during the 1880s, but unpublished manuscripts by Sumner discovered in the 1970s show that he came to reject the basic premises of Social Darwinism by 1900.<ref> Bannister (1973); Norman Erik Smith, "William Graham Sumner as an Anti-Social Darwinist." ''Pacific Sociological Review'' 1979 22(3): 332-347. 0030-8919.  Sumner’s apparent support for Social Darwinism as stated in ''The Science of Society'' (1927, printed 17 years after Sumner's death) was actually the thought of Albert Galloway Keller, with whom he collaborated. Norman E. Smith and Roscoe C. Hinkle, "Sumner Versus Keller and the Social Evolutionism of Early American Sociology." ''Sociological Inquiry'' 1979 49(1): 41-48. 0038-0245. </ref> Sumner's thought was a synthesis of Scottish Common Sense Realism, classical [[republicanism]], and [[laissez-faire]] economics. His synthesis continues to inform much of modern conservative social thought. Sumner's opposition to the Spanish-American War in 1898 emerged from his fear that imperialism would undermine republican government by strengthening the hand of the plutocracy, "the political power of capital."<ref> Pickens (1987)</ref>   

Sumner played with a Social Darwinist themes borrowed from [[Herbert Spencer]] during the 1880s, but unpublished manuscripts by Sumner discovered in the 1970s show that he came to reject the basic premises of Social Darwinism by 1900.<ref> Bannister (1973); Norman Erik Smith, "William Graham Sumner as an Anti-Social Darwinist." ''Pacific Sociological Review'' 1979 22(3): 332-347. 0030-8919.  Sumner’s apparent support for Social Darwinism as stated in ''The Science of Society'' (1927, printed 17 years after Sumner's death) was actually the thought of Albert Galloway Keller, with whom he collaborated. Norman E. Smith and Roscoe C. Hinkle, "Sumner Versus Keller and the Social Evolutionism of Early American Sociology." ''Sociological Inquiry'' 1979 49(1): 41-48. 0038-0245. </ref> Sumner's thought was a synthesis of Scottish Common Sense Realism, classical [[republicanism]], and [[laissez-faire]] economics. His synthesis continues to inform much of modern conservative social thought. Sumner's opposition to the Spanish-American War in 1898 emerged from his fear that imperialism would undermine republican government by strengthening the hand of the plutocracy, "the political power of capital."<ref> Pickens (1987)</ref>   

Sumner has often been called a dogmatic defender of laissez-faire and of conservative social Darwinism. But an examination of his unpublished essay of 1909, "On the Concentration of Wealth", reveals that he changed his mind. In his 1909 essay he shows his concern for pervasive corporate monopoly as a threat to social equality and democratic government. His analysis was akin to that of a [[Woodrow Wilson|Wilsonian]] Progressive, although his remedies were vague and incomplete. This stand against plutocracy was consistent with his life and consisted of a long defense of a middle-class society against the pressures of greedy self-interest groups and demos, the mob. Earlier he was most concerned with threats from corrupt politicians. Later plutocracy threatened the middle classes through abuses which might have led to class warfare.<ref> Curtis 1969)</ref>

Sumner has often been called a dogmatic defender of laissez-faire and of conservative social Darwinism. But an examination of his unpublished essay of 1909, "On the Concentration of Wealth", reveals that he changed his mind. In his 1909 essay he shows his concern for pervasive corporate monopoly as a threat to social equality and democratic government. His analysis was akin to that of a [[Woodrow Wilson|Wilsonian]] Progressive, although his remedies were vague and incomplete. This stand against plutocracy was consistent with his life and consisted of a long defense of a middle-class society against the pressures of greedy self-interest groups and demos, the mob. Earlier he was most concerned with threats from corrupt politicians. Later plutocracy threatened the middle classes through abuses which might have led to [[class warfare]].<ref> Curtis 1969)</ref>

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==