A History of Eugenics (cont.)
    As the 1900s progressed, people began to see the negative effects of eugenics.  The horrific images of the Holocaust portrayed just how harmful it could be.  The Universal Declaration of Human Right, passed in 1948 by the United Nations, maintained that all men and women, regardless of race or religion or color, had the right to start a family.  Furthermore, in 1978, the UNESCO declaration stated that humanitary equality is the basis of scientific ethics.  Many pre-war eugenicists took on new occupations as a result of this new change in attitude toward eugenics.  Following the war, eugenics references were removed from textbooks and teachings all over the nation.  Though some countries, like Canada and Sweden, maintained extensive eugenics efforts, the movement had pretty much disappeared by the 1960s. 
      Shifting into the present tense, the arrival of the Human Genome Project initiated a new knowledge of genetics, and therefore, eugenics.  A select few have called for the rebirth of eugenic policies with modern technology, but most scientists do not back these claims.  One attempt included forming a "genius bank" and conceiving children, but the results did not prove any justifiable evidence.  Very few countries possess eugenics policies today.  China passed a law in 1994 that called for a screening for couples, and those who had defective genes were prohibited from marrying or else forced to long-term contraception.  It has been widely stated that the modern form of eugenics will involve families making "designer babies" that will give them the best opportunities in life, rather than as an effort to improve the human gene pool.  James D. Watson, a large contributor to the Human Genome Project, started the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Program which has funded studies into the motives of eugenical engineering. 
       Many scientists today agree on the fact that genetic screening is a beneficial and harmless form of "voluntary" eugenics that could be used today.  Some treatable diseases include depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, sexual behavior, and criminality. 
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1