The article by Jacob Tanner, “Eugenics Before 1945,” explores the interaction of science and social theory, mainly hereditary, used as the foundation for social improvement. He explains that the desire to produce better humans and a perfect society has consequences of social evils such as Nazism and Genocide. The publication delves into Galton’s hereditary theory to cope with physical, intellectual, and moral degeneration challenges. Dissemination of biological values existed before the 20th century, particularly intelligence that was subject to laws of heredity, racial stereotypes, as a consequence, human engineering, and the Nazi regime (Tanner, 2012). According to Tanner, the racial ideology of Nazism is founded on the pre-established tenets of biological improvement of intelligence, morals, and physical appearance in Germany.
Contrastingly, the documentary “Genocide Worse than War” by PBS describes that social evils such as Nazism and Genocide are caused by politics that preys on threatening societal populations. The film compares such social atrocities with the concept of ‘eliminationism,’ political acts that get rid of groups believed to be sub-humans through mass annihilation, murder, expulsion, and incarceration (Goldhagen, 2015). The video highlights that mass murders that are rampant across the world such as Rwanda, Germany, North Korea, Kenya, and Iraq and the global community isn’t doing enough to stop its spread. Overall, the documentary concludes that mass murders such as the Genocide in Rwanda are set in motion by political interests and bloodthirsty leaders.
Based on these learning course materials, my question is, which argument do you think gives valid explanations of the causes of mass murders between pre-established eugenics and political motives? Does the concept of genetic selection justify abuse, inequality, and mass murders? If so, can the concept of eugenics be used by political powers to incite the elimination of the minority, threatening the population justifiably?
References
Goldhagen, J. (2015). Genocide Worse Than War [Video]. YouTube.
Tanner, J. (2012). Eugenics before 1945. Journal of Modern European History, 10(4), 458-479.