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Newsletter September 2010 ISSN 1359-9321 The Galton Institute NEWSLETTER Galtonia candicans Issue Number 74 September 2010 Origins of Positive Eugenics in Britain Contents The term ‘positive eugenics’ came into Tracing the Trajectory prominence early in the history of of ‘Positive Eugenics’ eugenics, although not before the founda- Tracing the Trajectory of tion of the Eugenics Education Society in in Britain 1907. Several authors have credited its ‘Positive Eugenics’ in creation to Caleb Williams Saleeby by (1878-1940),64 an early leader of the Britain 1 eugenics movement. Saleeby was a gifted Anthony J. Dellureficio speaker and propagandist, though not an investigator. As such he was contentious Galton Institute in the eyes of many of the scientists in the Conference 2010 16 movement, although he played a signifi- What follows is Part 2 of a disserta- cant role by interpreting complicated tion submitted to the University of genetics issues for lay members of the Manchester for the degree of Master eugenics community. A letter he wrote to of Science in the Facultyof Life Francis Galton in 1909 lends support to Sciences. Part 1 appeared in the last Saleeby’s nature as a eugenic neologist. issue of the Newsletter. The letter asks Galton’s opinion on the term “dygenics versus kakogenics. I am for the former as neater and sufficiently correct” and expresses gratitude at Positive Eugenics in Britain Pearson “using my ‘eugenicist’ rather than ‘eugenician’.”65 The introduction of The general theory of eugenics in the term ‘positive eugenics’ did not come Britain arose from investigations into how without dissention, however. Numerous society affects evolution and ‘natural debates were recorded in the Eugenics selection’, and whether humans could Review, for example in 1910, Montague employ the laws of evolution to improve Crackanthorpe (1832-1913), second their social condition. In essence, the president of the Eugenics Education eugenicists wished to direct human Society, wrote in his presidential address evolution. From the earliest days of that the terms ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ Galton’s research into eugenics, he eugenics might be renamed due to considered eugenic improvements mathematical confusion as “…Negative Published by: through elimination of the worst or ‘unfit’ and Positive Eugenics reinforce instead of The Galton Institute traits, and through an increased propaga- 66 cancelling or neutralising each other.” 19 Northfields Prospect tion of the best or ‘fit’ traits. Although He also feared that the terms would be Northfields Galton coined the term ‘eugenics’ in his seen as generally pejorative and distract Inquiries into Human Faculty in 1883, the people from the eugenic cause. Instead he LONDON SW18 1PE roots of his concept for improving the suggested using the terms ‘restrictive’ and Telephone: 020-8874 7257 human social condition through evolu- ‘constructive’ to replace ‘negative’ and tionary means began much earlier, and a ‘positive’, respectively. Both sets of terms General Secretary: number of developments which had were used interchangeably during the Mrs Betty Nixon profound social impacts precipitated the early years, though ‘positive’ and popularity of Galton’s new science. The ‘negative’ eventually won permanence. Newsletter Editor: next section will explore the various The issue was again raised in 1939 in a David Galton scientific and social origins contributing letter from R. Austin Freeman to the Web site: to the rise in the eugenic paradigm and secretary of the Eugenics Education how they specifically advanced the Society, Carlos Blacker. “Referring to the www.galtoninstitute.org.uk development of ‘positive eugenics’. point raised by Lord Horder at the GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 1 SEPTEMBER 2010 Council meeting as to the use of the counter-argument presented by the pro- whelming majority of eugenic-minded words, ‘positive’ and ‘negative’, I find colonial Charles Kingsley in 1858, individuals in Britain. According to myself in strong agreement with him, however suggested that over-population Mackenzie, eugenic theories appealed to especially in regard to the word would not be possible; furthermore it was the ‘professional middle class’ because ‘negative’, which is quite inappropriate to the duty of the British to spread their race eugenics not only justified their position any kind of active policy…if it should as much as possible.69 In either case, above the working classes but also seem necessary to retain the distinction, ‘positive eugenics’ provided a satisfac- reassured their “technical and moral the two modes might be designated by tory solution, and MacNicol, in his article superiority” over the aristocracy.76 At the words more appropriate to the ideas, such on Inter-War sterilization in Britain, same time, however, their class was as Constructive and Eliminative or identifies eugenics as one of the suffering the greatest losses according to Inhibitory or Restrictive.”67 These efforts “ideological outcomes of the decline in the statistics of the declining birth rate. were again unsuccessful and the terms the birth rate.”70 In fact, this trend of The ‘professional middle class’ feared ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ eugenics declining birth rate appeared in popula- that this differential birth rate combined retained general favor in the society. tion statistics across Europe and America with a general reduction in British While the origins of the term ‘positive creating fears of national decline and population would lead to ‘race suicide’ eugenics’ and its usage come relatively influencing many nations to seek solu- and degeneration of national quality.77 In early in the history of eugenics, the tions through eugenics. In Britain, many fact, some social commentators argued origins of the theory date at least a half people began to fear that not only the that this differential birth rate was century prior. birth rate, but the “general fiber of their specifically “because the upper and nation – its overall moral character, middle classes were restricting their In the second half of the nineteenth intelligence, energy, ambition, and fertility”.78 MacKenzie’s analysis claims century and into the twentieth century, a capacity to compete in the world – was that “much of positive eugenics was a number of social and scientific develop- declining.”71 The shockingly bloody and straightforward response to this situa- ments gave impetus to eugenics solu- long drawn out Boer Wars in South tion.”79 Major Leonard Darwin (1850- tions. Among the social contributing Africa, supported by military statistics, 1943), one of the most influential factors were a declining birth rate, a convinced many British citizens that the presidents of the Eugenics Education differential birth rate, a rise in individual- physical well being of the nation was Society and son of Charles Darwin, wrote ism, a trend of social reform, and a rise in waning. “Political concerns were added in 1913 that “When the marriages conservatism. Scientific advances, such to social fears by the Boer War crisis; the amongst the higher types of the fit are as Darwinism, natural selection, a chronic ill health and physical weakness more fruitful than the marriages amongst persistence and reapplication of La- of the English working class revealed by the lower types or the unfit, then mankind marckian theories, the rediscovery of the recruitment programme and the is on the upward path; and, when the Mendel, and the application of statistics subsequent 1904 Inter-Departmental reverse is the case, the nation is degener- to biology, supported and were supported Committee on Physical Deterioration ating.”80 In 1920, he again wrote an by the social changes creating a new brought forcibly home to the public the article echoing this sentiment.81 Darwin biological paradigm for social reform. seriousness of the situation.”72 In 1916, a squarely blamed the degeneration of While these factors contributed to a National Birth Rate Commission pre- Britain on the results of a differential general rise in eugenic interest, each of sented their investigation of the birth rate birth rate, and as a firm supporter of both these factors contained specific implica- crisis. Among the members of the ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ styles, he tions for the development of ‘positive Commission were a number of leaders of continually lent support to reversing the eugenics’. the Eugenics Education Society. In their trend of the differential birth rate by findings, they concluded that a decline in encouraging members of the Towards the beginning of the twenti- birth rate, rather than an increase in ‘professional middle class’ to conceive eth century, census records began to mortality, was the cause for the popula- more children. show a general decline in the population tion crisis in Britain.73 of Britain. The sociologist and historian Other social trends also contributed to of Victorian families, Joseph Banks, Perhaps even more crucial to the the rise of ‘positive eugenics’ in Britain. wrote in the 1950s that the perceived fall development of ‘positive eugenics’ in Issues such as the changing role of in the birth rate was enough to convince Britain was the differential birth rate. motherhood, an increase in feminism, some contemporary experts that “by From their statistical findings, the Poor Law reform, and a general sense of another generation the growth of num- National Birth Rate Commission drew conservatism signified a tendency bers will have come to an end alto- links between fertility, occupation, and towards
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