Eugenics

• Definition of Eugenics 


  The notion of improving the genetic quality of the human population.
• Eugenics


  -Genetic theories of criminality have argued that the tendancy to commit crime is transmitted by 'inheriting' a 'criminal gene'.

  -The idea that we can inherit this gene has been discredited but in the early 20th century, it was associated with a movement known as eugenics.

  -Eugenics were obsessed with the fear that the human race was in danger of 'degenerating' because the poor were breeding at a faster rate than the higher classes.

  -As a result, they were passing on supposedly inferior genes, thus lowering the average intelligence and moral quality of the population.
• The study of Eugenics claims:

  
  

  -Your inherited genes could explain your behaviour.

  
  

  -Reinforces the idea of biological determinism (a persons personality or behaviour is caused by the genes they have inherited, rather than by social or cultural factors e.g nature over nurture.)
• Which biological theories does this link to?

  XXY

  Adoption

  Twins
• Nazi Germany (The master race)


  -Nazis estimated to have killed 200,000 disabled and sterilised twice the number.

  -Many groups were prevented from reproducing (people with mental and physical disabilities) to keep the Aryan race pure, 360,000 sterilisations occurred.

  -Eugenic policies became part of the justification for the Nazi's genocide of 'inferior races' during WWII including the 6 million jews, 1.5 million gypsies and many thousands of other 'deviants' were killed including LGBT people, addicts and the homeless.
• Eugenics in Britain 


  -Supporters of eugenics called for government policies to improve the biological quality of the human race through 'selective parenthood'

  -They linked physical and learning disabilities to a range of social problems including crime, vagrancy, alcoholism, prostitution and unemployment.

  -They hoped that a eugenic approach could build up the strong section of the population and gradually remove the weak- (compulsory sterilisation?)
• How has eugenics informed policy?


  -It has not had a huge impact on UK policy development

  -Unlikely that there would be any widespread policy because of the moral and ethical nature of eugenics.