The eugenics movement and the eugenic idea in Britain 1900-1914 : a historical study
This research falls into two parts. The first part begins with some observations on the methods employed in the writing of intellectual history. These observations are essentially critical and lead on to a detailed discussion of some proposed alternatives. The first chapter does not claim to have solved difficult theoretical and methodological problems but rather to have made possible greater clarity and awareness of what the problems are o In the light of these considerations an examination is then made of the relationship between Darwinian Biology and the major social doctxine claiming inspiration from it, namely~ Eugenics. With reference to this connection the central argument maintained is that there were systematic links between Darwinism and Eugenics o An attempt is made to analyse those links firstly by examination of certain theoretical features of Darwinism itself and secondly by an examination of the misreadings of Darwinism practised by Eugenics o This analysis is complemented by a detailed investigation of the structure of Eugenic thought as it appeared in Britain before the First World Waro The second part then extends this general picture by means of a number of case studies of Eugenic thinking
Young, T.
DA Great Britain ; H Social Sciences (General)
The eugenics movement and the eugenic idea in Britain 1900-1914 : a historical study. This research falls into two parts. The first part begins with some observations on the methods employed in the writing of intellectual history. These observations are essentially critical and lead on to a detailed discussion of some proposed alternatives. The first chapter does not claim to have solved difficult theoretical and methodological problems but rather to have made possible greater clarity and awareness of what the problems are o In the light of these considerations an examination is then made of the relationship between Darwinian Biology and the major social doctxine claiming inspiration from it, namely~ Eugenics. With reference to this connection the central argument maintained is that there were systematic links between Darwinism and Eugenics o An attempt is made to analyse those links firstly by examination of certain theoretical features of Darwinism itself and secondly by an examination of the misreadings of Darwinism practised by Eugenics o This analysis is complemented by a detailed investigation of the structure of Eugenic thought as it appeared in Britain before the First World Waro The second part then extends this general picture by means of a number of case studies of Eugenic thinking
movement idea britain historical_study fall_two_part first_part begin observation method_employ write intellectual_history observation essentially critical lead detailed_discussion propose_alternative first claim solve difficult theoretical_methodological problem rather make_possible great clarity awareness problem light consideration examination make relationship darwinian biology major social claim inspiration namely reference connection central_argument maintain systematic link darwinism attempt_make analyse link firstly examination certain theoretical feature darwinism secondly examination darwinism practise analysis complement detailed_investigation structure think appear britain first world second_part extend general_picture mean number case_study thinking