Eugenics

Sierra Walsh Amanda Chico

Kelsey LaChusa Dustin Gibbs
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 1

What is Eugenics?
As defined by Merriam-Webster, “the
practice or advocacy of controlled
selective breeding of human
populations (as by sterilization) to
improve the population's genetic
composition” (n.d.)
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 2

Eugenics, thought by many to be a

Nazi led movement, began long
before the rise of Hitler. In fact,
“Sir Francis Galton first coined the
term eugenics in 1883 as a
derivative of the Greek word
eugenes meaning “good in birth””
(Burke & Castaneda, 2007, p. 6).
His inspiration came from his
cousin Charles Darwin who
published The Origin of Species in
Galton Psychological Testing Poster
1859 (Gillham, 2009).
(1870s).
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 3

In the early 20th century the

eugenics movement social
acceptance surged
amongst the everyday
individual. Government
authorities began imposing
regulation and, “leading
scientific, medical, and
academic communities”
began to publish works in
support of the movement
(Burke & Castaneda, 2007,
p. 8). Eugenics Poster Wellcome Library, London (1920s).
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 4

Ironically, the acceptance of

eugenics became so common
nature that in 1921 the
American Museum of Natural
History in New York held the
Second International Eugenics
Congress with over 53
scientific papers on eugenics
were given by the leading
experts of the time (Dyrbye,
n.d.). Logo of the Second International Congress of Eugenics (1921).
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 5
The great success of the
Eugenic movement in
the United States
resulting in the
admiration of Hitler in
1930s resulting in his
own legislation. To help
further his agenda he
used propaganda
posters to gain the
support of the people.
Wir Stehen Nicht Allein (1936).

“Nazi poster from 1936 introducing compulsory

sterilization legislation. First flag, upper left is
that of the United States” (Turner, 2013).
Dustin Gibbs PT 1, SL 6

As Eugenics became
more socially accepted,
Hitler transformed
previous sterilization
legislation into
Euthanasia propaganda
that was aimed at
specific groups. This
resulted in the term
eugenics being largely
associated with Nazism. “This person suffering from hereditary defects
costs the community 60,000 Reichsmark during
his lifetime. Fellow German, that is your money
too” (Nazi Euthanasia Propaganda Poster, 1938).
Sierra Walsh:
The Rise of Eugenics, 1901-1914
Michael Boulter

Part 2
The Rise Of
Eugenics, 1901-1914
Michael Boulter
Sierra Walsh:
The Rise of Eugenics, 1901-1914
Michael Boulter

Introduction:
A statistician by the name of Karl Pearson decided to survey London at the turn of the century. He created a map
and surveyed families living in London In the Affluent Westside as well as the impoverished Eastside. This data
was then synthesized by Beatrice Webb and Charles Booth. Karl Pearson took these conclusions about his
research to push his political agenda and with Francis Galton they birthed the Eugenics Movement. A Movement
that would reduce reproductive rates, up quality of life, and garner an elite race of people.

What the Survey Found:

-Like many wealthy areas The Westside had brighter streets, cleaner air, lower birth rates, higher concentration of
wealth.
-Like many impoverished areas the Eastside had dark streets, higher crime rates, lower unemployment rates,
higher birth rates, and no concentration of wealth.

Webb and Booth:

-As a result of this survey they concluded that brain power is hereditary
-Poverty and suffering is genetic
-Social environment has little effect
-Most “breeding” is done within the same social class
-To eradicate poverty they must breed out poverty
Sierra Walsh:
The Rise of Eugenics, 1901-1914
Michael Boulter

Garnering Support:
-Pearson found support through middle class women
-He piggybacked off of the Suffragette Movement at the time
-Women wanted to feel in control over their reproductive rights and eugenics and the choice of “breeding”
potential gave them that control
-Due to Pearsons’ research they found support in the science community and then through the political
communities
-1904 the University of London set up a Eugenics office for Galton
-Setting up Eugenic Society

Goals and Actions:

-Control through marriage
-each sect of people represented only by the “best specimens”
-Eugenics was was taking evolution into their own hands

Opposition:
Lankster:
-Thought there wasn’t enough research to support Eugenics
-Thought the Movement was an oversimplification of genetics and science
- Thought the rhetoric being used in the movement was dangerous (feeble minded, racial quality,
improvement)
-Birth defect normal and cross socioeconomic boundaries
-Argued that legislators couldn’t define feeble mindedness let alone recognize it.
Sierra Walsh:
The Rise of Eugenics, 1901-1914
Michael Boulter

Opposition Cont.:

Maudsley:
-Favored nurture over nature
-Thought not enough research has been done to support Eugenics
-Ethical ramifications

Conclusion:
The Eugenics Movement took 1 survey and spun it into a movement. Their was just enough data to push an
agenda, but not enough to actually be scientifically accurate. Through social movements Galton and Pearson
pushed their agenda and garnered support from University of London, using their office to further their agenda.
They found politicians willing to help and had very little push back for the community at large.Pearson thought
the right to live was not the same thing as the right to reproduce. He wanted to take evolution into his own
hands. Through this movement we saw politically motivated scientist and psychiatrist create a movement that
inspired Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf. My personal opinion economical hardships made people want a
scapegoat. Their was just enough blame in this movement to get a large group of loyal supporters while using
the guise of genetics to make what they were saying seem like a humanitarian effort.
Amanda Chico
American Geneticists and the Eugenics Movement: 1905-1935
Kenneth M. Ludmerer

Part 3
American Geneticists and the Eugenics
Movement: 1905-1935
Kenneth M. Ludmerer
Amanda Chico
American Geneticists and the Eugenics Movement: 1905-1935
Kenneth M. Ludmerer
Introduction: The purpose of the article was that Ludmerer wanted to see the
point of view of American geneticists through 1905 and 1935, to understand
the significant aspects of the movement. Ludmerer was analyzing the eugenics
through a science and social development. There were three major factors in
the eugenics: Social Darwinism, internal points influencing eugenics through
inheritance, and the external points.

Factor One: Social Darwinism

● By using Social Darwinism helped find links in social problems.
● Younger men were viewed as the winners of the “evolution victory”.
Resulting in having biological factors supporting the dismal of social
problems.
● Having fear of not obtaining a good education. Resulting in the fear of
failure of survival.
● Early geneticists believed in inheriting biology traits that would help them
survive and success.

(Ludmerer, 1969)
Amanda Chico
American Geneticists and the Eugenics Movement: 1905-1935
Kenneth M. Ludmerer

Factor Two: Internal points, eugenics through inheritance

● Francis Galton and Karl Pearson influenced American
geneticists in the interested of inheriting features that
would help solve problems.
● Through Galton and Pearson the geneticists had a
secular religion attitude toward the movement.
● The significance of reproducing “better men” to help
inherited positive qualities for their families.
● Environment became important, so it did not create any
gene mutation.
● 1915, was a profound moment, geneticists realized the
importance of environment for inbreeding.

(Ludmerer, 1969)
Amanda Chico

American Geneticists and the Eugenics Movement: 1905-1935

Kenneth M. Ludmerer
Factor Three: External points, Nazi Germany
● Understanding that there are many scientists resulting in many theories.
● The genetic theory resulted in a crisis through immigration restriction in
United States and Nazi Germany programs.
● Ludmerer stated that scientists who discussed a social responsibility had
some form of tragic event occurred after.
● An example would be chemical weapons, atomic bombs being used by
the government of the United States.
● 1930’s caused a fear to externalize the science of the eugenics in Nazi
Germany.
Conclusion:
Analyzing the eugenic movement from 1905 and 1935. 1915
showed the inheritance through the movement and the
development of interest in the movement. The importance
through externalizing the science data. Also internalizing the
information of the movement. Lastly through the traits
inherited through Social Darwinism.

(Ludmerer, 1969)
Kelsey
LaChusa

Part 4
Progress through Racial
Extermination: Social Darwinism,
Eugenics, and Pacifism in Germany,
1860-1918
Richard Weikart
Kelsey
LaChusa Progress through Racial Extermination: Social
Darwinism, Eugenics, and Pacifism in
Germany, 1860-1918
● Prior to the era where eugenics and racial extermination
became infamous during war time in the twentieth century, it
discreetly began during European colonization. As European
colonists settled on new land, they forced the indigenous
peoples to not only alter their culture, but “purify” their genes as
well by reproducing with European bloodlines.
● Richard Weikart’s article argues “that scientific racism based on
Social Darwinism radicalized racism in the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries by providing a scientific rationale for
exterminating non-European races.”(Weikart, 2003)
● Social Darwinism was exterminationist, and influenced much of
the pacifism movement through eugenics.
Kelsey
LaChusa
Social Darwinism and Eugenics
• Social Darwinism was a belief system based on Darwin’s theory
of natural selection in species of plants and animals.
• Social Darwinism contained four elements that would prove its
priority for racial extermination as a benefit for human society:
– 1. Population tends to grow faster than the food supply. In order to keep a
balance the population must be managed.
– 2. Humans were considered to have been varied, and categorized in twelve
different species.
– 3. Due to the population imbalance, individuals within a “species” have to
compete for their resources. This fight for survival occurred between not just
individuals, but groups, tribes, and or races.
– 4. Darwinists believed racial extermination was “natural and inevitable...even
beneficial and progressive.”(Weikart, 2003)

● Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist, saw that inferior races would ultimately be
exterminated in the struggle for existence among humans. He is referring the
“inferior” races to be the colonized people outside of Europe. This concept
was seen, at the time, as progressive.
Kelsey
LaChusa

Pacifism in Germany
• In the late nineteenth century, eugenics entered Germany with the goal of
clearing the world of “inferior” people, and biologically improving the human
race in its entirety.
• Despite being labeled as a pacifist (an individual who does not believe in
war or the harming of others), many German pacifists found themselves
agreeing with the hypocritical notions based on the intent to “create a new,
modern human.” (Weikart, 2003)
• Ludwig Buchner, a popularizer of Darwinism, opposed the war, but still held
firm beliefs that the white species were inevitably going to take complete
control of the world. Buchner viewed the extermination of “inferior” races as
a “positive development.”(Weikart, 2003)
• In conclusion, Social Darwinism was essentially a political excuse to gain
control over people of color and non-European descent, who were viewed
as lesser-than. Eugenics is not “racial” science, but genocide.
Dustin Gibbs PT 5, SL 1

Conclusion
Dustin Gibbs PT 5, SL 2

Eugenics had its beginning in the 1800s due to cousins

Darwin and Galton. Darwin published The Origin of Species
in 1859 which captivated his cousin Galton resulting in his
beliefs that eugenics was meant to be. With social
acceptance we saw the rise of Eugenics in the early 1900’s
resulting in the elite collectively working together to ensure it
was applied throughout society. America being the front
runner with this movement sought to apply this to society
through legislation. This legislations success garnered the
attention of many other countries to include dictators that
used this method to their advantage resulting in utter
devastation.
 References
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17. doi:10.1525/tph.2007.29.3.5

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114). London: UCL Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1vxm8sr.12

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Gillham, N. W. (2009), Cousins: Charles Darwin, Sir Francis Galton and the birth of eugenics. Significance, 6: 132–135.
doi:10.1111/j.1740-9713.2009.00379.x
 References
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a d/Eugenics_congress_logo.png

Ludmerer, K. (1969). American Geneticists and the Eugenics Movement: 1905-1935. Journal of the History of Biology, 2(2),
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Only Healthy Seed Must Be Sown[Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.galtoninstitute.org.uk/wp-
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Turner, D. (2013, July 28). Chapter 15, Before Hitler, America's Master Race Program. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from
http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/The-Jewish-Problem---From-anti-Judaism-to-anti-Semitism/Chapter-15-Before-Hitler-Americas-
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