During the late Nineteenth Century and early Twentieth Century, as the age of New Imperialism was on a rise, colonized nations were subjects of brutal force caused by irrational thoughts on Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism, otherwise known as survival of the fittest, was a blooming subject of mass popularity within the United States; however, a particular subcategory -Eugenics- was formed, causing a shift in American policies. Eugenics, the belief of a superior trait pedigree; where those who did not match with a nation's ideas of a perfect breed of humans, were deemed defective and should not mix their degenerate traits with good ones. The American Eugenics movement was an effect based on colonial experiences. Colonial nations were considered inferior to the common white man and were in need of a superior guiding force to govern over them. This nationalist ideology that a stronger nation is the better nation by means of colonization, or building a strong inner nation of individuals, led to “degenerates” being victimized by racial discrimination, economic inferiority, and physical disabilities, and blamed to be the cause of all societal implications rather than the spread of Nationalism.
Nationalism became prevalent during WWI and continued on through WWII, arguably being the main cause of colonial imperialism. The act of conquering over other nation states rectifies a powerful superiority. The reason stated for conquering such lands was to help “civilize”(i) the natives. Rudyard Kipling was known for writing the “White Man's Burden”, where the white man is responsible to make the uncivilized natives, civilized. Nationalism and Social Darwinism are interconnected for the spreading of colonial expansion. The best example of a nation state being dominated by the antics of white European nations would be the Independent State of Congo. Where cruel and unjustifiable treatments were made subject upon the natives by the means of King Leopold II who was put in charge to build a “benevolent enterprise” and to withhold an “honest and practical effort” to increase the knowledge of the natives “and secure their welfare” by the Berlin Conference. In a letter written to King Leopold II by George Washington Williams entitled “Open Letter” uncovers the acts of inhumanity that Williams discovered within the Congo; explaining explicit details revolving around the treatment that had taken place. King Leopold was from a white-dominated country. Whites have already deemed themselves to be the fittest, most civilized, race and those who were not white were considered to be inferior. So, when colonial expansion led to the discovery of a black race whose technology and the government proved far inferior, it created a racial stereotype that all blacks are in need of “fostering care”. Leopold took advantage of this weaker race, establishing “mercenary slave soldiers” to govern over the natives. The “white commissioned officer(s)” may have thought themselves above watching the natives, only using “expeditionary force” when the mercenaries didn’t receive the “fish, goats, fowls, and vegetables”. These “black” soldiers, being slaves, are still under the white man’s rule but because of their status as a governing post, they feel free to “exercise the power of life and death” against the natives. This hierarchy of racial standing in society can also translate to slavery within the southern part of the United States.
Slavery within the United States ended in 1865, but the racial biases still existed. Eugenics solidified most people's racial views on the blacks and minorities within the states; viewing them as inferior because scientific racism proved them to be. Hate crimes against certain races far exceed that of just complexion by attacking the characteristics the race possess. The Eugenics Record Office clearly states that the “(4) Hair Form, Hair, and Eye Color, and Complexion”(ii) are of value when it comes to genetically specifying traits for reproducing. On one side, whites could discriminate amongst themselves on which physical features are favorable to pass down. While on the other side, those who do not meet complexion and valued characteristics should have their rights to reproduce offspring removed; singling out the superior-trait pedigree as the only sources of reproduction. By relating the matters of Eugenic policies and colonial experiences, it is to be understood that the people of the Congo were deemed inferior due to their lack of education, economy, defense, and other associated social developments. They were labeled as all one individual race ‘black’; rather than as a populace who was in need of educating. Seeing how the people of the Congo were inferior and were all people of color, translated to the American society that all blacks were inferior. For, all blacks have come from Africa; be it slave ships or immigrants. They came from somewhere inferior, so they are inferior. Their ancestors were blacks in the Congo, and so their children and their children's children will also be considered from this same category. Eugenics looks at the family record and because most did not have a high standing background, they were not high standing individuals. Race told everyone in America where you came from and that is all they needed to pass judgment on your usefulness to society.
When it comes to the shaping that colonial experiences had over American Eugenic policies based on poverty, it is of relative importance that the treatment of such native individuals was caused because their nationalism was of little to no standing. They lacked the military strength and unity it would take to band the entire African country together to fight against the imposing white European society. Natives lacked strong economic standing and ‘intelligence’ to create such a standing army, and to further their reach as a strong civilized power. Their poverty is what made them inferior to the white man's vile use of governing. Focusing particularly on the Congo, the government of King Leopold the II has been charged with various crimes by George Washington Williams. The seventh, being the taxation of exporting the goods to other countries, but “exempts its own goods from export-duty”(i). This means, they are selling goods and creating a profit off of other countries in need of such a product, but taking from the land freely. This affects the Natives because they are the one being subjected to cruel and unjust work to produce such goods. The workers are unpaid, and if work is refused, are “thrust into the wretched prisons” and “ox-chains eat into the necks of the prisoners” producing “sores”. The cruel punishment of forcing aggravating, permanent wounds upon the body, which could get infected and create a “running wound”, is unjust punishment for refusing to work. Also, the government of King Leopold, upon attempting to sell the goods back to the people of the Congo at an unjust price, are turned down, they “burn the villages within the vicinity” and “their goods are seized” forcing the natives away from their homes. The natives, unable to afford their own goods, are left worse off than before. They are unable to feed off the land from which they always have because their goods are being taken, yet no money is flowing back to them so they cannot repurchase them. American Eugenics takes a step down from this horrid rule, but still desensitizes those impoverished. The Eugenics Record Office views everyone who is not “Physicians, teachers, ministers, lawyers, lecturers, women's clubs, social students, biologists, family genealogists and archivists, biographers”(ii) or anyone who has “inheritance” and a higher qualified place in society, as one with “very low in social value, such as a family of ‘ne'er-do-wells,’ outcasts or criminals”. They view poverty as a weakness to society. The ideal of American Nationalism, to prove one's strength as a world superpower was of high importance, and those who bruised the ego of America were no less useless to society. Because America could not improve upon their status as a person, they were no less a criminal from taking and stealing the glory from those who were qualified. Colonial experiences were a put down of an impoverished society. Having those pay for what they could not afford and giving them no means to survive with which to make a living. Casting a negative view of those less fortunate; leading to the societal implications in America that those who are in poverty, also weren’t making a living and contributing to society. Which influenced American Eugenic policies to include those who are impoverished, to be considered as those who do not meet qualifications to reproduce.
Disability, whether caused by naturally born defects or created through evil junctures, has all been discriminated against regardless of cause. American Eugenics focused on the “inheritance of human traits”(ii). They wanted to build a superior country by creating elite individuals through using family trees to decide superior traits. There, “best blood” would be deemed fit to “mate” and reproduce other qualified individuals; “preventing the reproduction of its worst strains”. Worst strains could be referring to those who also did not meet the Eugenics physical standards of “(5) Stature, (6) Weight, (7) Physical Measurement Record” or bad health disabilities through diseases like “Tuberculosis”. People with disabilities in America, mental or physical, were cast away from society, deemed in need of care and put in facilities. They had no place to belong and no help from society. Science had not come around to understanding the causes of such disabilities; whether they are contagious or if they were caused by bad genetics. Either way, Eugenics would see that those with such traits would not reproduce in fear of spreading such “human pedigree”. Meanwhile, this thought of inferiority placed upon those with ‘disabilities’ are related to the colonial experiences in the Congo. The Congo experience was more in matters of slaves. King Leopold's government, is said to be guilty of engaging in buying, selling, and stealing of slaves [“buys and sells and steals slaves” (i)]. This is abuse against the natives by neglecting their basic human rights. Those who were deemed disabled and unable to work were subject to imprisonment and death. They were nobody, not an able body to work, or for sale. Deemed worthless just like the American Eugenics believed their disabled persons to be as well. Colonial experiences led forth the thought that disabled persons were inadequate for the realm of society. This thought is yet again clearly displayed when the traits and family trees of those who do not meet the physical criteria of the Eugenic policies, were also to be cast out. Colonies were simply the influencers of such strong acts. Causing radical Eugenics to believe that their thoughts were justified, as the colonial natives were proof that there are those inferior and that if disabled slaves had no place in society, then neither did disabled citizens. Believing that the disabled Americans were simple stealing off the pride of those healthy physical able bodies around them and taking their hard earned money. Because scientific discoveries have had rapid advancements, the thought process on disabled persons has changed radically. Otherwise, there would be firm believers that those who are disabled would pass on such traits and muddy the blood between the purified Americans. Causing damage to the nation, as the nation is composed of the individuals who govern it.
When it comes to matters of the relation between colonial experiences and American Eugenic policies, they both share very controversial and opinionated views on racial discrimination, be it the people of the Congo are of black complexion and America has been known to have African slaves. Casting African blacks as an inferior race both inside and outside of their own country. Or maybe it is the poverty within a country that related them both. The people of Africa, not being united, containing a weak government who is unable to build a strong military defense. Leaving it up to small clansmen and natives to fight off the impending white armies. And the Americans, whose strong sense of nationalism guided them to contain strong military armies; relying on money to build up such a force. America had such funds but felt it was being wasted on those in poverty by holding those of upper American society down. Hindering their rise as a hegemonic power. Either way, American Eugenics was relating that a weak and poor economy is what led the colonized to fail in their attempts to keep out the invasions. Money is what controls the wars, and those who cannot contribute to the fight by giving money should fight with their bodies. However, this led to a problem with those with disabilities. Individuals who were disabled were unable to work and often poor or put somewhere where they could not be a hindrance to those in society's norms. Americans wanted strong people to create a strong nation to create a strong military; as to conquer over the rest of the other civilized nations. The colonized subjects, who were proven disabled were also thrown away, killed for their uselessness. King Leopold's government decided that because the disabled were unable to work or be sold for money, they might as well be in the grave. America sought after such an idea that if the disabled weren’t working and giving money, taking money for their weaknesses, and weakening the society through reproduction, then they too, should stop reproduction. The only difference between the Congo and America is that the Congo wasn’t as good at hiding the killings of such individuals. The age of New Imperialism did cause the American Eugenic Policies, but there were also matters of world superiority like Nationalism and survival of the fittest through Social Darwinism that guided the thoughts of inferiority and superiority and uncivilized and civilized to flourish in the nation states.