Eugenika i przejawy jej recepcji w polskiej myśli politycznej do 1939 roku

The term eugenics was introduced by Francis Galton in the 19th century. It is a system ofviews declaringthe possibility of improvinghereditary characteristics of human beings by creating conditions favouring the maintenance and development of advantageous features. The basis for the development of the movement was fear of the biological degeneration of mankind. The disadvantageous outbreak of social pathologies thatcould havebeen observed in a number of countries was allegedly the harbinger. So, the purpose of the movementwas to create a perfectsocietyby gradual elimination of sick and socially notadapted individuals. It was divided into two sub- categories: positive and negative eugenics. In case of the latter, the purpose was the limitation of the development of disabled persons and as it was defined euphemistically the "less valuable” ones. The most brutal method of restricting the birth rate was the compulsory sterilization. In the article the following subjects have been presented inter alia: - beginning and development of eugenic thoughts on the Polish ground - reception of eugenic ideas in Poland - developmentof eugenics in the thirties of the 20th century Polish political thoughtversus German Sterilization Actof 1934 Attitude of the Catholic Church to eugenics, inter alia the encyclical Casti connubi.