In the time period that Brave New World was written, Britain was undergoing an economic crisis. Amidst desperation, many revered eugenics as means of escape from the challenges society was facing. Many intellectuals, scientists, medical practitioners, and political figures agreed with the belief system of the eugenics movement. Of these people, Aldous Huxley was one who believed firmly but skeptically in eugenics. His brother, Julius Huxley, and many of his companions were also heavily involved in this movement. Eugenics’ influence is evident in his book, Brave New World.
Eugenics’ influence on Brave New World is most distinct in the physical population of scientifically engineered citizens. The Eugenics Society wanted the government to put …show more content…
Wells Men Like Gods, which he interpreted as a too optimistic approach to a eugenic society. Well’s utopia consistent of only the highest ranking citizens would be unsustainable. He believed that there must be a lower class available to undertake manual labor because a society of professional middle class citizens would not be willing to do so (Woiak 114, 115). This belief stemmed from the book A Note on Eugenics, which detailed the inevitable deterioration of such a society. Brave New World illustrated this belief by using the Bokanovsky Process to mass produce a working class and deliberately stunting them into contentedness with their position, therefore ensuring a fixed working class and resolving unemployment and overproduction. Aldous portrayed a perfect society of workers and producers, not a perfect people.
Huxley’s obsessive eugenic agenda emerged with the economic crisis in Britain and only endured as long as the crisis (Woiak 126). Brave New World demonstrated both the beneficial and detrimental aspects of eugenics, though most eugenists’ interpretation is simply whichever suits their individual bias, and reflects the popularity of eugenics in that time period (Hart 120, Woiak 128). Aldous’ book also serves as a warning to approach our brave new world with
Eugenics’ influence on Brave New World is most distinct in the physical population of scientifically engineered citizens. The Eugenics Society wanted the government to put …show more content…
Wells Men Like Gods, which he interpreted as a too optimistic approach to a eugenic society. Well’s utopia consistent of only the highest ranking citizens would be unsustainable. He believed that there must be a lower class available to undertake manual labor because a society of professional middle class citizens would not be willing to do so (Woiak 114, 115). This belief stemmed from the book A Note on Eugenics, which detailed the inevitable deterioration of such a society. Brave New World illustrated this belief by using the Bokanovsky Process to mass produce a working class and deliberately stunting them into contentedness with their position, therefore ensuring a fixed working class and resolving unemployment and overproduction. Aldous portrayed a perfect society of workers and producers, not a perfect people.
Huxley’s obsessive eugenic agenda emerged with the economic crisis in Britain and only endured as long as the crisis (Woiak 126). Brave New World demonstrated both the beneficial and detrimental aspects of eugenics, though most eugenists’ interpretation is simply whichever suits their individual bias, and reflects the popularity of eugenics in that time period (Hart 120, Woiak 128). Aldous’ book also serves as a warning to approach our brave new world with