Pseudo-Scientific And Aborigines Flashcards
What was the use of Pseudo Scientific Theories in the law and policies of governments called?
Institutional racism.
What was the purpose of Pseudo-Science?
Pseudo-Science was to prove that some persons were better than others, physically and mentally, because of their race. They believed some races were more evolved than others.
What does Pseudo-Science mean?
Pseudo Science isn’t based on science or fact, but on prejudice and faulty theories.
What are some Pseudo Scientific Theories?
Scientific Racism and Social Darwinism.
Scientist wanted to categorize and measure everything, this included people. What would a form of this be called?
Phrenology.
Around what century did these theories emerge?
The 19th Century.
What was the motive behind Scientific Racism?
Scientists wanted to analyze and process humans in the same way as natural science.
They began classifying people by their what? Give an example of this.
They began classifying people by their physical appearance. Eg: SWART GEVAAR - Black people are rapists, murderers and thieves. PEOPLE OF ASIAN DECENT - Inherently good at everything.
Scientists came to the conclusion that each race had-
- typical characteristics.
Racists theories became applied as ___________
SCIENCE
SOCIAL DARWINISM took Scientific Racism further. Who undertook Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and applied it to his own pseudo science theories?
Herbert Spencer.
Who said the well known phrase, “Survival of the Fittest.” Charles Darwin or Herbert Spencer?
Herbert Spencer coined the phrase.
What was the idea behind Social Darwinism?
That different races where at different stages of evolution. There was a now a hierarchy.
With this racial hierarchy, who was placed at the top?
Caucasian people.
Social Darwinism was used to justify what?
To justify government policies.
ABORIGINES - What impact did The British settling on Aboriginal land have on the Aborigines?
The Aborigines lost their right to the land, and this became dependent on the settlers for food and work. They also became I’ll with western diseases and lived in extreme poverty.
What is Racial Suicide?
The race is acting in a way that is destructive. (The definition is generally prescribed by the race conquering ie the British of the aborigines.)
What were some of the things the British settlers passed to oversee the aborigines?
- Setting aside reserves for the aborigines to live in whilst being overseen by a protecter.
- They were not allowed to vote, drink keep pet or own guns.
- They weren’t allowed to marry without permission
What is assimilation and how was it applied to Australia’s Aborigines?
Assimilation is the act of absorbing one smaller group into another larger group. An example of this would be white Australians forcing aboriginal children to hate their culture and turn to Western beliefs.
What is the White Australia policy?
A policy wherein white Australians demanded that Outsiders were to take a test, any test the invigilator chose. The were lenient on the white and harsh on anyone else.
What is the almost innocence?
When Australia took thousands if British orphans into Australia to create laborers.
What is the Stolen Generation?
It is the most striking example of eugenics. It meant the removal of mixed race children
EUGENICS - How would you describe positive Eugenics?
Positive eugenics is family planning ie deciding not to have a child because your husband has a genetic heart defect.
Describe Negative eugenics:
Selective breeding; discouraging reproduction with a person that has an undesirable trait.
What is the complete definition if eugenics
The study of and belief in possibly improving the qualities of human species.
