> in our Darwinian might makes right mentality that many seem to subconsciously adopt, those of superior capability must rule tyrannically over those of inferior ability.
I think a less extreme version of this might be that people can simply pretend that one thing is the other thing. One class dominating another class through violence and exploitation, would have a big incentive to hide behind the "no exploitation here, this is just a different in capabilities situation" defense. Arguably a lot of past exploitation has involved exactly that kind of rhetoric.
Fantastic point! Yes, I believe that is exactly what is happening with Darwinian racism: one group exploiting and dominating others is hidden with a scientificish veneer. Very much a Plato's 'nobel lie' thing going on, similar to the mythology justifying the Vedic caste system. Darwinian racism is just a modern caste myth to justify exploitation.
It reminds me of a kid when I was younger who would steal from us and then consider himself smart for taking advantage of other people foolish enough to trust him. Arguably the same has happened with the Caucasian race in recent history: they took advantage of a bunch of less technically advanced people groups, and then justified it with the Darwinian racial myth, since after all they were smart enough to justify their exploitation with such a sophisticated myth, thus proving the myth correct.
I think a less extreme version of this might be that people can simply pretend that one thing is the other thing. One class dominating another class through violence and exploitation, would have a big incentive to hide behind the "no exploitation here, this is just a different in capabilities situation" defense. Arguably a lot of past exploitation has involved exactly that kind of rhetoric.