Eugenicists' Views on Democracy in Relation to "the Feebleminded" in Pre-World War II America

Abstract

The present paper examines how "the feebleminded" to whom eugenicists were most hostile were regarded and what kind of image of democracy many eugenical scientists had in pre-World War II America. Eugenical scientists viewed the government as a system run by men of ability. "The feebleminded," therefore, were regarded as inferior people, and thought to be lacking in the citizenship necessary in order to contribute to society. Even after the 1930s, when eugenics discourse began to decline, mainline eugenical scientists did not accept the idea that "the feebleminded" were citizens of a democratic society, although some scientists ventured to defend the rights of "the feebleminded".