Its legacies are present in our language and literature, from the words 'moron' and 'imbecile' to the themes of some of our greatest works of culture. But the ideas underlying eugenics are not merely historical. It was a cornerstone of the policies of the Third Reich and forged a path that led directly to the gates of Auschwitz. It was enshrined in a political movement that bastardised science, and for sixty years enjoyed bipartisan and huge popular support: eugenics.Įugenics was also vigorously embraced around the world: forced sterilisations and sex-selective abortion were enacted in dozens of countries, including the great superpowers of the twentieth century, and the two most populous countries on Earth. But in the Victorian era, in the shadow of Darwin's ideas about evolution, a new full-blooded attempt to impose control over unruly biology began to grow in the clubs, salons and offices of the powerful. Population control has been attempted in every country for thousands of years. But this wish goes hand-in-hand with the desire to impose control over who can marry, who can procreate and ultimately who is permitted to live. Throughout history, people have sought to improve themselves - and society - by reducing suffering, eliminating disease or enhancing desirable qualities in their children.
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