Eugenics

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Eugenics

Eugenics refers to the scientific study or a belief that it is possible to improve the human race through genetics and by discouraging people with undesirable traits or genetic defects from reproduction. The fundamental aspect is to encourage reproduction by people who possess desirable traits- positive eugenics. Eugenics is a social philosophy that was promoted worldwide in the 20th century by influential individuals and governments with the aims of improving the adaptation of future populations. Various sources seek to explore the background, philosophical aspects, effects, and dynamics of eugenics.

Currell, S, & Christina, C. (2006). Popular Eugenics: National Efficiency and American Mass Culture in the 1930s. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. This article discusses history of eugenics from the 1930s. The book features the logo of a tree depicting eugenics as a social philosophy science that integrates diverse fields of study and social life. The article explores the diversity of historical American mass cultures in relation to the national policies on population growth and reproduction. The authors’ primary argument is that eugenics, in the historical American mass culture, offers the most important information and explanation why drastic policies received tremendous support during the sense of class superiority and racial bias.

Glad, John (2008). Future Human Evolution: Eugenics in the Twenty-First Century . Hermitage Publishers. According to Glad (2006), Holocaust was the primary contributor to the historical warfare and not eugenics as many scholars and philosophers argue. The article explores the dynamics and contributing factors that led to the adoption of positive eugenics by the developed economies. The article explores eugenic movement as a global phenomenon with robust supporting programs in North America and Europe before the Second World War. Glad (2008) explores the effects of the Great War coupled with the subsequent era of the Great Depression that mentally undermined human existence and the creation of privileged classes especially in the West. He also explores the effects of eugenics activities on existence of the human society.

Meisenberg, G. (2009). “Wealth, intelligence, politics and global fertility differentials”. Journal of Biosocial Science 41(4): 519–535. Meisenberg (2009) seeks to investigate whether the current demographics and economic indicators of human populations, such as wealth, liberal democracy, and modern politics, create any significant fertility differences. The study also seeks to establish whether these primary indicators of economic development affect human IQ. According to the study, positive eugenics has a direct impact on human IQ development. Additionally, measures of intelligence also reduce human fertility while effects of liberal democracy have weak and inconsistent relations to fertility. This article is important for analyzing the effects of global fertility with respect to indicators of economic progress.

Black, E. (2004). War against the weak: Eugenics and America’s campaign to create a master race. New York, NY: Thunder’s Mouth Press. This book is an informative article on the atrocities and issues of American engineering in the involvement of trying to create a superior race. Additionally, the book gives a detailed perspective and proponent activities on American eugenics developments to culture a master race especially in the 20th century. Black also analyzes the possible involvement of America in the Nazi movement that led to the Holocaust. His central argument is that the US elites propelled the Nazi racial manifestations by initiating the idea and possibility of creating a superior Aryan race through selective breeding and passed the idea to the Nazis.