IndexWhat is EugenicsHistoryWhat about AustraliaModern TimesReferencesWhat is EugenicsEugenics is recognized as a science involving controlled breeding within a population to improve the appearance of desirable traits and decrease the heritability of genetic diseases and undesirable traits. The origin of the term eugenics comes from the Greek word 'eu' meaning good and the word genēs meaning 'born'. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHistoryEugenics has a rich history being a prominent player in science and politics from the late 1800s through the 1950s and 1960s. The idea of ​​eugenics was based on the science of the time (late 1800s). At the time, scientists were grappling with the idea that specific genes and their phenotypes were passed from parents to offspring. Scientists have struggled to explain how this happened, but they knew that somehow it had happened. This basic knowledge then leads to the assumption that all physical and mental characteristics of a person can be transmitted. This assumption is what Henry Goddard based his famous "scientific" experiment on (The Kallikak Family). The Kallikak family was a research experiment on intelligence and whether or not it was heritable. Goddard decided to study supposedly feeble-minded children at the Vineland Training School. Goddard performed an early version of an IQ test on children in his experiment. The results allowed him to classify them into normal categories or a variety of so-called mental weakness categories. After the completion of the study Goddard decided to research why these children were feeble-minded. To do this he turned to genetics and began looking at the family tree of one of the children named Emma Wolverton. After investigation, Emma's family tree revealed a split that confirmed Goddard's belief. Emma's great-great-great grandfather had children with two women. One of these women was believed to be feeble-minded and the other normal. In Goddard's eyes this demonstrated that feeble-mindedness is passed on genetically, as the branch of the family to which Emma was a member contained a large number of people who were feeble-minded. The other side had none. This then brings Goddard to the question: how can we reduce the number of feeble-minded people? The answer to this question lies in eugenics. Eugenics in America was beginning to gain support, the idea of ​​selectively breeding to decrease the appearance of unwanted traits seemed like the perfect way to remove mental weakness from the population. This idea was gaining popularity around the world and was gradually making its way into politics. This led to the passing of some laws in some countries requiring the sterilization of citizens who were not considered normal. However, this idea gradually faded due to some ethical problems. What about Australia Australians boarded the eugenics train in the early 1900s. The hub of the Australian eugenics movement would be Victoria and its uprising began with a man named Richard Berry. Richard Berry was professor of anatomy at the University of Melbourne from 1903 to 1929. Berry made this movement known throughout Australia by giving speeches to both the general population and those in higher authority (politicians, etc.). Berry proposed laws to people in higher positions which eventually led to a bill nearly passed in parliament stipulating that citizens deemed to have undesirable traits should be institutionalized 20(3), 123-127.