eugenics

• definition of eugenics

  the belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human race
• eugenicists 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, the poor were passing on 'inferior' genes for low intelligence, insanity, poverty and criminality more quickly than the higher classes were passing on their 'superior' genes, lowering the average intelligence and moral quality of the population
• compulsory sterilisation policies were favoured by eugenicists as it prevented 'defectives' such as criminals, those with mental illnesses or learning difficulties from having children. This could also prevent incarcerated criminals from giving birth to criminal offspring, breeding out any form of criminal behaviour
• how many states had a eugenics programme in the early 1900s?

  33
• when did most of the programmes end?

  WWII
• how many people were sterilised in the north Carolina programme?

  7600
• what percentage of sterilisation occurred in North Carolina after WWII?

  77%
• when did this programme last until?

  1970s
• sterilisation policies in America

  • California's eugenic law 1909 - anyone committed to a state institution could be sterilised
  • early 1920s-1950s, a third of the national total were sterilised in California
  • US Supreme court 1927 ruled it legal to compulsory sterilise the 'unfit' including those with learning difficulties for the protection and wealth of the state
• sterilisation policies in Germany

  • purifying the Aryan 'master race' by eliminating those they deemed unfit to breed
  • Initially targeted 400,000 who were physically and mentally disabled and sterilised against their will
  • 70,000 killed under the Nazi's euthanasia policy
  • Holocaust in WWII - includes 6 million Jews and 1.5 million gypsies were killed. others defined as deviant were also killed - homosexuals, drug users, alcoholics and the homeless
• does work - prevents a child from being subjected to criminals parents and a criminal lifestyle, preventing the child from becoming criminal themselves
• doesn't work - does not consider the environmental factors which influence someone to commit a crime. a child may not have a genetic disposition to commit a crime but may be influenced by their environment and upbringing. eugenics cannot possibly stop this as it only considers genetics as a cause of criminality
• doesn't work - obvious ethical issues with forcefully sterilising individuals. it may be the case individuals change their criminal behaviour in the future and therefore may be a good influence on a child as criminals can be rehabilitated and change
• does work - may work to prevent criminals from producing criminal offspring if a genetic link is proven. therefore, it may be possible to control crime if less individuals are being born with criminal tendencies