Fredrick Kunkle, the eugenics movement

According to Fredrick Kunkle’s article, the choice to pass a law in 1924 was motivated by the eugenics movement and the idea that it could help America create the ideal race. According to the legislation, Virginia could order the sterilization of anyone it deemed to be “defective.” As scientists and physicians thought that without it, the defective people would reproduce idiots, imbeciles, people with epilepsy, and criminals, the unfortunate people included men and women who were insane and epileptic.

Even though there are worries about the negative effects the program would have on the economies of the respective states, the state has officially apologized to the public and victims have been requesting compensation. The reason is that the law was repealed in 1979, 55 years later and it is certain that the number of people affected is significant and the compensation is estimated at $ 73.3 million. Notably, the experience has been painful especially to the victims most of who are still alive today to learn that the law was faulty.

Additionally, Lutz Kaelber highlights the statistics of American eugenics in the 50 American states affected by the law that allowed compulsory sterilization of mentally ill or disabled people. It further acknowledges that Germany unlike the US has taken steps to recognize the horrors of its history including mandatory sterilization.

Thomas Leonard argues that while today genetic screening and sex selection is perceived as usual and a new eugenics, its application in the Progressive Era was different. The era was characterized by the naïve faith that science was the solution to all social problems.

The eugenics archive highlights the sterilization laws in the United States and the cost implications of the compensation debate. It also gives insights into the various genetics applications such as designer babies, IQ tests, and DNA among others.