MOPHATE SECONDARY SCHOOL
HISTORY RESEARCH
NAME : NZUNGA MOEKETSI
GRADE : 11 E
YEAR : JUNE 2026
DISCUSSING TO WHAT EXTENT NAZI POLICIES
WERE INFLUENCED BY THE EUGENICS
MOVEMENT AND SOCIAL DARWINISM
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
The rise of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler was based on a combination of
political, social and racial ideologies. Among the most significant influences on
Nazi policy were the Eugenics Movement and Social Darwinism. Eugenics
promoted the idea that society could be improved through selective breeding,
while Social Darwinism applied Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to
human societies and races. Hitler and the Nazi Party embraced these ideas and
used them to justify racial discrimination, persecution and genocide. Although
other factors such as nationalism, anti-Semitism and economic concerns also
influenced Nazi policies, Eugenics and Social Darwinism played a central role in
shaping Nazi racial ideology and government actions.
The Influence of the Eugenics Movement
The Eugenics Movement emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries and argued that the human race could be improved by encouraging
reproduction among those considered genetically superior and discouraging or
preventing reproduction among those regarded as inferior. Nazi leaders adopted
these ideas and made them part of state policy.
One of the earliest examples was the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily
Diseased Offspring, introduced in 1933. This law authorised the compulsory
sterilisation of people with conditions that the Nazis believed were hereditary,
including mental illnesses, epilepsy and physical disabilities. More than 400 000
people were sterilised under this programme. The Nazis claimed that these
measures would improve the genetic quality of the German population and
reduce the burden on society.
The regime also encouraged healthy Aryan families to have more children.
Programmes such as the Lebensborn Project provided support for women
considered racially valuable to increase the birth rate of the so-called Aryan
race. These policies demonstrate the strong influence of eugenic thinking on
Nazi social and population policies.
The Influence of Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism was another major influence on Nazi ideology. It was based on
the belief that life is a struggle between competing groups and that the strongest
survive while the weakest disappear. Hitler believed that human history was
driven by racial competition and that the German people needed to remain
strong in order to dominate other nations.
The Nazis regarded the Aryans as the superior race and viewed Jews, Roma
people, Slavs and other groups as racially inferior. According to Social Darwinist
thinking, these groups threatened the survival and progress of the German
nation. As a result, Nazi policies aimed to exclude, segregate and eventually
eliminate those considered inferior. This belief also influenced Nazi foreign
policy. Hitler argued that Germany needed more living space, or Lebensraum, to
ensure the survival of the German people. The conquest of Eastern Europe was
therefore justified as a natural struggle between stronger and weaker races.
Millions of people were displaced, enslaved or killed as a result of these
expansionist policies.
Nazi Racial Discrimination against Jews
The Nazis defined Jews by race, not religion. They claimed that Jews belonged
to a separate race. They also claimed that Jews were inferior to all other races.
The Nazi definition of Jews included people who did not practice Judaism.
Hitler and the Nazis claimed that the “Jewish race” was especially dangerous.
It supposedly exploited and harmed other races. Thus, the Nazis referred to
Jews as a “parasitic race.” In particular, they believed that Jews were parasites
that were destroying the Aryan race. This false and prejudiced belief was why
the Nazis persecuted Jewish people. They wanted to separate Jews and Aryan
Germans. They tried to force Jews to leave Germany.
The Nazis’ Failed Attempts to Measure and Identify Race
The Nazis tried to use science to prove their racial theories. They recruited doctors and
other scientists to help them. These officials tried to categorize people into races. They
measured and described people’s physical features, like noses, skulls, eyes, and hair.
These attempts at categorization failed to prove Nazi racial theories. In fact, their efforts
revealed that human beings could not be scientifically categorized into races.
Humankind is simply too naturally diverse. However, this reality did not stop the Nazis.
Nazi Racial Policies
Nazi racism determined how the Nazis treated people in Germany. People whom the
Nazis identified as Aryans benefited from Nazi economic and social policies. Those
whom the Nazis identified as non-Aryans (including Jews) were persecuted and
discriminated against. For example, the Nuremberg Race Laws stripped Jews of the
rights of citizenship. The laws also banned so-called race-mixing. In addition, the Nazis
carried out forced sterilizations of certain groups whom they considered inferior. These
procedures prevented people with disabilities, Roma, and Black people in Germany
from having children.
Nazi Racial War
Nazi ideology, including Nazi racism, led to World War II (1939–1945).
War was part of Nazi racial theory. The Nazis believed that races were destined to wage
war against each other. For them, war was a way for the Aryan race to gain land and
resources. Specifically, the Nazis wanted to conquer territory in eastern Europe. They
planned to remove, dominate, or murder the people who lived there. They believed that
Aryan Germans should control this land because they were the supposed master race.
The Nazis called this territory “living space” (Lebensraum). Hoping to achieve these
goals, the Nazis invaded and occupied much of eastern Europe, beginning with Poland.
In occupied eastern Europe, the Nazis behaved with extreme brutality. They oppressed
and murdered civilians across the region.
The T4 Euthanasia Programme further reflected the influence of eugenics.
Under this programme, thousands of people with physical and mental disabilities
were killed because they were considered unfit and a burden on society. This
programme became a model for later mass killings carried out during the
Holocaust.
The Holocaust and Nazi Racism
Nazi racism led to the mass murder of six million Jews. The Nazis falsely claimed that Jews
were an inferior race. They also falsely claimed that all Jews were an existential threat to
Germany and that they had to be destroyed. Motivated by this racist thinking, the Nazis carried
out a genocide of Europe’s Jews during World War II. This genocide is referred to as the
Holocaust.
Other Factors Influencing Nazi Policies
While Eugenics and Social Darwinism had a profound influence on Nazi policies,
they were not the only factors involved. Anti-Semitism had existed in Europe for
centuries before Hitler came to power and played a major role in Nazi hostility
towards Jews. German nationalism and resentment following Germany's defeat
in the First World War also contributed to the popularity of Nazi ideas.
Economic difficulties during the Great Depression created conditions that
allowed the Nazi Party to gain support. Hitler's personal beliefs, political
ambitions and desire for territorial expansion further shaped government
policies. Therefore, Nazi actions resulted from a combination of ideological,
political and economic factors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Nazi policies were influenced to a large extent by the Eugenics
movement and Social Darwinism, as these ideas provided a foundation for beliefs about
racial superiority and population control. However, the Nazis did not simply follow these
theories—they transformed them into a radical and violent ideology. As a result, while
these movements were important influences, the true nature of Nazi policies was
shaped by a combination of these ideas with other factors such as anti-Semitism and
authoritarian rule.
Bibliography
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Holocaust Encyclopedia. Available
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The National Archives (UK). The Origins of Nazi Genocide. Available at:
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