Eugenics and Other Evils [Hardcover]

G. K. Chesterton (Author), Michael W. Perry (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 18, 2003

At the peak of its power during the 1920s, eugenists advocated forced sterilization and called for strict laws about who would be permitted to marry. Thought to be scientific and quite popular among progressives, eugenics had few critics among writers and scientists. The most vocal of them was the British journalist, G. K. Chesterton in this 1922 book, now back in print with additional appendices containing articles by his eugenic opponents. A must-read book for understanding the eugenic debate.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 180 pages
• Publisher: Inkling Books (July 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587420066
• ISBN-13: 978-1587420061
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Chilling Voice from the Past, December 15, 2003

By 

Brad Shorr "Brad Shorr" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eugenics and Other Evils (Hardcover)

Eugenics was more than a pseudoscientific fad of the early 1900s: it provided much of the philosophical underpinnings of the Nazi master race and its logical culmination in the concentration camps. Today its ideas lurk more subtly behind such movements as birth control, abortion rights, euthanasia, and cloning. So, this book by GK is far more than an historical curiosity; the arguments he sets forth enable us to see far more clearly the dangers of conceding to a government, a group of elites, or even a vague movement, even a fraction of our rights and responsibilities concerning our own life, death, and progeneration. In the first third of the book, GK utterly dismantles the superficial logic of eugenics. In the second third, he exposes the real objectives of the movement that lay beneath the surface. The final third is a compilation of truly bone chilling articles and letters written by eugenicists of the period. Essentially, GK believes that the movement arose out of the capitalist desire to maintain cheap labor and the socialist desire to scientifically organize society. His analysis of these seemingly opposed forces has a heavy political, social, and historical focus, and is surprisingly light on religious considerations. He foresees that eugenics unleashed would result in an utterly inhuman society. Unfortunately the Nazis proved his theory. He foresees the dehumanizing effects of even a more moderate eugenics, which unfortunately has come to pass and is quite evident in the monstrous plight of our poor, homeless, mentally handicapped, and unborn. How do these social horrors occur? GK believes that most people are right, but dont know that they are right. Thus theywe--are susceptible and even defenseless to attacks by an organized group of activists driven by malevolent or merely foolish motives. This book shows how that actually played out in pre-WWII Europe, and gives us a better understanding of how it is happening now, and how we might reverse course.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remains a great book, May 5, 2009

By 

Dalton C. Rocha (Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eugenics and Other Evils (Dodo Press) (Paperback)

I read this old and excellent book, here in Brazil.Writen by Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 - 14 June 1936), when the pseudo-science of eugenics was perhaps more popular is USA, than ecology is today, this book remains excellent and relevant.And this happens, more than 80 years after its publication.

Then, eugenics was a thing supported by great american politicians, such as american Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Taft,Herbert Hoover,etc.Outside USA famous leaders such as the last Kaiser, Lenin, Stalin,etc. were eugenists.Famous scientists of this time, such as Thomas Alva Edison, Albert Einstein, Wright Brothers, Charles Lindenberg,Nicolas Tesla, etc. were eugenists.Writers such as H. G. Wells and Georger Bernard Shaw were eugenists and socialists.

At first, this book was a work of courage.It was against the political, scientific and press stablishment.

At second, this book is divided in parts:

PART ONE: THE FALSE THEORY.

PART TWO: THE REAL AIM.

I really read another ediction of this excellent book, when I could read:

"Most Eugenists are Euphemists. I mean merely that short words startle them, while long words soothe them. And they are utterly incapable of translating the one into the other, however obviously they mean the same thing. Say to them "The persuasive and even coercive powers of the citizen should enable him to make sure that the burden of longevity in the previous generations does not become disproportionate and intolerable, especially to the females?"; say this to them and they sway slightly to and fro like babies sent to sleep in cradles. Say to them "Murder your mother," and they sit up quite suddenly. Yet the two sentences, in cold logic, are exactly the same."

In another page of this book, I read:"I am myself primarily opposed to Socialism, or Collectivism or Bolshevism or whatever we call it, for a primary reason not immediately involved here: the ideal of property. I say the ideal and not merely the idea; and this alone disposes of the moral mistake in the matter. It disposes of all the dreary doubts of the Anti-Socialists about men not yet being angels, and all the yet drearier hopes of the Socialists about men soon being supermen. I do not admit that private property is a concession to baseness and selfishness; I think it is a point of honour. I think it is the most truly popular of all points of honour. But this, though it has everything to do with my plea for a domestic dignity, has nothing to do with this passing summary of the situation of Socialism. I only remark in passing that it is vain for the more vulgar sort of Capitalists, sneering at ideals, to say to me that in order to hate Socialism "You must alter human nature." I answer "Yes. You must alter it for the worse."

In the end of this book, there's a third part, with articles writen by eugenicists/eugenicists. Ironically, they were doomed by time, as false preachers.

The ediction that I read wasn't this book, published by Dodo Press.Even so, my give my congratulation to all persons, publishing the works of this genius called Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 - 14 June 1936).

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prophetic writing, December 27, 2008

By 

Paul Ross (Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eugenics And Other Evils (Paperback)

G.K. Chesterton was WAY ahead of his time in the writing of this brilliant little book.. It's just as pertinent today as it was in the early 1900's. Great stuff.