Unproven Darwinism and the Criminalization of Foreigners
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Bhakti Niskama Shanta
Oct 15, 2024, 11:28:28 AMOct 15
to Online Sadhu Sanga
Unproven Darwinism and the Criminalization of Foreigners
In the 19th century, Darwinism and Social Darwinism were employed to legitimize British imperialism and ensure a stable workforce. Black Africans were exploited as the primary labor force for British planters. To prevent revolts by impoverished white indentured servants, lawmakers reassured them by proclaiming black people inherently inferior. Lacking external support, even the Christian church endorsed slavery, perpetuating racial disparities.
Britain experienced novel fears during the Victorian period, fueled by imperialism's ascendancy. The British increasingly feared their colonies' potential consequences, perpetuating stereotypes of the 'foreign other' as diseased, criminal, and primitive. Unproven Darwinism legitimized these misconceptions, linking foreigners to criminality through anthropometry – classification by physical measurements. British scholars invoked Darwin's theory to establish the concept of atavistic reversion, where individuals could physically and mentally regress to a prehuman evolutionary stage, labeling them as atavistic criminal types. This notion justified the permanent imprisonment of perceived criminal types, particularly among minority groups, regardless of offense severity. In contrast, serious offenses committed by non-criminal British individuals were deemed anomalies, rendering imprisonment unnecessary. Darwinian criminology proponents emphasized individualized punishment, shaping public opinion and policy. Although empirically discredited, the criminal physical type stereotype persists, underscoring the enduring impact of this theory.
Those whose ancestors suffered under slavery now ironically endorse Darwin's ideology, unaware of its exploitation to justify British transgressions. It is vital to acknowledge Darwinism's misuse in justifying wrongdoing under the guise of scientific theory.
In the 19th century, Darwinism and Social Darwinism were employed to legitimize British imperialism and ensure a stable workforce. Black Africans were exploited as the primary labor force for British planters. To prevent revolts by impoverished white indentured servants, lawmakers reassured them by proclaiming black people inherently inferior. Lacking external support, even the Christian church endorsed slavery, perpetuating racial disparities.
Britain experienced novel fears during the Victorian period, fueled by imperialism's ascendancy. The British increasingly feared their colonies' potential consequences, perpetuating stereotypes of the 'foreign other' as diseased, criminal, and primitive. Unproven Darwinism legitimized these misconceptions, linking foreigners to criminality through anthropometry – classification by physical measurements. British scholars invoked Darwin's theory to establish the concept of atavistic reversion, where individuals could physically and mentally regress to a prehuman evolutionary stage, labeling them as atavistic criminal types. This notion justified the permanent imprisonment of perceived criminal types, particularly among minority groups, regardless of offense severity. In contrast, serious offenses committed by non-criminal British individuals were deemed anomalies, rendering imprisonment unnecessary. Darwinian criminology proponents emphasized individualized punishment, shaping public opinion and policy. Although empirically discredited, the criminal physical type stereotype persists, underscoring the enduring impact of this theory.
Those whose ancestors suffered under slavery now ironically endorse Darwin's ideology, unaware of its exploitation to justify British transgressions. It is vital to acknowledge Darwinism's misuse in justifying wrongdoing under the guise of scientific theory.
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxT4nEkFcON8nq8wFh4ywvrvyhvpoPb08_?si=BWxbWdLTaTI7WudR
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First International Conference on a Dialogue between Vedanta and Science on the Origin of Life and Evolution
(Vedanta and Science Dialogue Series: VSDS — 2024)
November 23—24, 2024
Aksharaa School, Kathmandu, Nepal
First International Conference: Dialogue between Vedanta & Science
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