Eugenics Movement: Britain vs. The United States

Eugenics Movement

Background

Eugenics popularized as a social movement in the early 20th century. Based on survival of the fittest and selective breeding, the Eugenics movement advocated for the improvement of the gene pool. This led to feelings of race and class superiority and discrimination. Up until the Nazi Era, Eugenics was practiced by many countries in and it took many differnet shapes.

Great Britain

Sir Francis Galton is known as the founder of British Eugenics. He was the first to use the word "eugenics." He termed this to mean "the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race; also with those that develop them to the utmost advantage." His studies were statistical and scientific and he founded the Galton Eugenics Laboratory, headed by his predecessor, Karl Person. Unlike many other eugenicists, Karl Pearson did not participate in the political aspect of Eugenics. His reasearch was statistical and not to be used for propaganda.

The Eugenics Movement popularized in Britain with the foundation of the Eugenics Education Society in 1907. Soon thereafter, the Mental Deficiency Act of 1913 was passed. While there was no mandatory segregation mentioned in the act, the law recognized that there were socially unfit people that ranged from the mentally-ill to drunks to people with the inability to learn. While it was only a small victory, the Eugenics Education Society marveled at the progress.

The British seemed to be less concerned with race and more concerned with class when it came to eugenics.