Eugenics

The eugenics movement emerged in the late 19th century as a social philosophy advocating for the improvement of human genetic traits through social and political intervention. Although its purported goals were to benefit humanity and save society's natural resources, the theory ultimately justified racism and state-sponsored discrimination. Selective breeding, forced sterilization and birth control, and genocide are examples of the types of social control that were advocated by early eugenicists. Eugenics relies on the belief that intelligence is associated with social class and that humanity benefits by maintaining racial purity. These beliefs were widely held by academics, doctors, professionals, and politicians up until the early 20th century. Today, these views are widely discredited due to advances in the understanding of genetics and greater recognition of ...