Time to downsize the family saloon?

This latest blog post focuses on an issue I find fascinating. It stirs debate and controversy through all social circles. Crossing scientific, technological, ethical and social boundaries this issue has been brought back into the news recently following comments from Howard Flight MP about encouraging the welfare state to “breed.” This issue is of course eugenics.

Eugenics, devised by Francis Galton in the mid 19^th century, was a mainstream theory supported and encouraged by numerous scientists for around one hundred years. Eugenics, for many, is now synonymous with Nazism. The Nazi regime turned a serious scientific discipline, into a subject many feel has no place in society or indeed science. So could eugenics ever make a comeback? Should those who utter population caps and selective breeding really be castigated? Or is eugenics in place all around us just as it was originally intended?

The Nazi attempt at eradication of an ‘inferior’ human race was not part of what eugenics was about for Galton. It was originally aimed at the progression and improvement of the human race, where those of high intellects were encouraged to have families with those of equal intellects. Nowhere did Galton advocate eradication of those of lower intellects. Eugenics was supposed to have a positive impact on the development of the human race.

This subject has become unmentionable but I believe the impending global population crises, where there are too few resources for sustainable population levels it will become a serious political debate. Either who is allowed children or, following China’s successful example, a ‘one child’ policy. Although this is just a hypothesis I believe it to be a real possibility. But although eugenics is never mentioned when considering who has children with who I am of the opinion that the original aim of Galton in bettering the human race has always been ongoing. As a huge generalisation, individuals normally start families with those who are of the same social class and often intellects. This sustains Galton’s idea – pairing intellects. Whether it has made any difference in human development is another argument, and one that may be unanswerable through the nature vs nurture debate. A debate I am not going to go into here.

What I believe is Galton’s idea on human development has always been ongoing in the background, even if it is unmentionable by the media or in conversation. And those who are currently castigated for mentioning who should be encouraged to start families could soon be heard in mainstream circles. Potentially even to the point where discouragement of certain groups could be entertained in political debate. Of course, these arguments will have to have a strong scientific, moral and ethical basis. Arguments that will not be without consequence. Could eugenics become a scientific discipline again? Maybe in an evolved form, a new generation – just as it was intended.