How did European colonialism influence early theories of cultural evolution?

European colonialism was intrinsically linked to the development of 19th-century social sciences and early theories of cultural evolution. As European powers expanded their global influence, they sought to explain the diversity of human cultures they encountered, often framing this diversity within a hierarchical, unilinear model of progress.123

Influence on Evolutionary Theory

Early theorists, such as Lewis Henry Morgan, proposed that all human societies progressed through fixed stages—typically categorized as savagery, barbarism, and civilization—with European societies positioned at the pinnacle. This framework was used to justify colonial policies by suggesting that non-European peoples were at an earlier, "lesser" stage of development. Labeling indigenous groups as "savage" or "barbarous" served to make colonial efforts, such as forced assimilation, appear more morally acceptable to the public under the guise of "civilizing" these populations.21

Colonial Practice and Research

The pursuit of social and political control over colonial territories drove much of the early ethnographic research. Many foundational studies were conducted by missionaries, military personnel, and civil servants who aimed to document "vanishing" indigenous cultures to better manage them. Furthermore, the Industrial Revolution shifted colonial priorities toward securing raw materials and new markets, leading to the disruption of existing social systems and the imposition of European legal, economic, and cultural structures.14

Ultimately, these theories reflected the power imbalances of the era, using a veneer of scientific objectivity to rationalize the dominance of technologically advanced nations over the rest of the world.14