Eugenics is something we generally associate with the Nazi regime, so when we read of America that, “Some reports estimate that 33 different states had eugenics laws that allowed for forced sterilization and that more than 60,000 American were sterilized in the process, ” we might well be surprised by that.
“How did our country get to this point?” asks Evan Lenow. He explains, “From an ethical standpoint, it involved the use of a consequentialist ethic. Consequentialism is the idea that ethical decisions are made based on projected outcomes. There are several different theories that implement this process, but the basic idea is that the ends justify the means. In the case of eugenics, the desired end was a society full of healthy, productive, intelligent people.” Did the US once share in Hitler’s concepts of a Master Arian Race?
Says Lenow, “From a political perspective, the value of the society over the individual spurred on the acceptance of eugenics. Social problems involving care for the poor and ill, immigration of those viewed as “undesirable,” and the desire for a progressive society led to the implementation of such laws.”
“From a political perspective, the value of the society over the individual spurred on the acceptance of eugenics. Social problems involving care for the poor and ill, immigration of those viewed as “undesirable,” and the desire for a progressive society led to the implementation of such laws.
“Thankfully, our society has moved past this ugly history. Or have we?” asks Evan Lenow.
We deplore the practice of forced abortions in China’s ‘one child’ policy with the serious consequences to the social life of China as well as the health problems it has created.
The UK has begun mooting the idea of child limitation due to our recent rapid population increase. But isn’t that down to EU/UK immigration policies rather than growth in UK families? Where does mooting such ideas end when we read that the disgraceful practice of eugenics was practiced in an advanced First World Nation like the USA?
Reminding Americans of their dark past ‘USToday‘ says, “”It surely is as much a caution to the UK that, “It shouldn’t be forgotten,” . . . “Since the social implications of a lot of current human genetics research are enormous it seems important that in judging what human genetics is doing now we maintain awareness of the history of this discipline.”"
