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The unnatural and increasingly rapid growth of the feeble-minded and insane classes, coupled as it is with a steady restriction among all the thrifty, energetic and superior stocks, constitutes a national and race danger which it is impossible to exaggerate... I feel that the source from which the stream of madness is fed should be cut off and sealed up before another year has passed.

Winston Churchill#18

HistoryEthicsChurchillPolicyRace

About this quote

What does it mean?
Churchill advocates eugenics, claiming the growth of 'feeble-minded' classes and decline of 'superior stocks' pose a racial danger requiring urgent intervention.
In plain terms
He argues for controlling certain groups' reproduction to protect the race.
What can you take from it?
Policies targeting specific groups based on ability are ethically problematic.

Where it applies

  • historical policy study
  • ethics discussions
  • human rights analysis

Putting it to work

  • studying eugenics history
  • analyzing discriminatory policies
  • ethical debate

Questions to consider

  • How do we learn from harmful historical policies?
  • What defines 'superior' stock?

Another view

The views are based on pseudoscience and violate basic human rights.

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