Paper Title
Uyghurs in Xinjiang: Examining Chinese Governmental Practices through the Social Darwinist Lens of Thomas Huxley

Abstract
Xinjiang (新疆) has attracted much attention on the international stage in the past decade, and news is split into 2 streams. Is the approach of the Chinese government targeted for the improvement of economic state of Xinjiang? Or was it a planned and intentional “cultural genocide”? The statement of genocide and/or cultural genocide in Xinjiang from countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, is a strong accusation against China; the use of re-educational camps and other policies related to Xinjiang have been put under the spotlight and raised much controversy. The view of Xinjiang’s circumstances through the theory of social Darwinism could bring new perspectives and solutions to the case. Darwinism focuses on the competition among individuals while social Darwinism addresses the development of society under the influence of the primary principle of Darwinism and “artificial selection”. Thomas Huxley, in Evolution and Ethics, suggests the failure of “artificial selection”, because humans does not possess high enough intelligence to “select” other humans. The struggle between the effect of natural selection and “artificial selection”, and the necessity of the development of society has been the major problem of the Chinese administration of Xinjiang, thus, a balance of “artificial selection” and the use of morality and law is needed to build a “healthy” society with the potential to grow. The policies in Xinjiang have the aim of improvement of society but the effect and by-products are less than satisfactory in the Western eyes apparently. The Chinese government has to achieve such balance between the development of Xinjiang’s economy and safety, and consideration of spiritual needs of Xinjiang residents, especially Uyghurs. Keywords - Xinjiang, Uyghurs, Chinese Government, Ethnicity, Social Darwinism, Thomas Huxley, Re-Educational Camp, Cultural Genocide