Eugenics and Other Evils

The essays open with a candid appeal to the reader, explaining why the author felt compelled to revisit ideas first drafted before the war. Set against a backdrop of early‑twentieth‑century optimism for “scientific breeding,” the writer recounts how the notion of eugenics once captured public imagination, even appearing in popular illustrations and the discourse of celebrated thinkers. He then describes how the horrors of the recent conflict exposed the dangers of placing unchecked scientific authority in the hands of a bureaucratic state.

From this perspective, the book launches a vigorous critique of eugenics as a modern “craze for scientific officialism,” warning that its vague promises of improvement mask a deeper threat to individual liberty and moral judgment. The author argues that the movement’s rhetoric of benevolence conceals an unsettling alliance between innocent intentions and harmful outcomes, urging listeners to recognize and resist such ideas before they take root.