Nearly everybody in 1910 believed in eugenics.
There is a reason for that. The idea that intelligence, for example, is inherited is pretty solid.
But the social engineers took it way beyond the scientific reality , by using to impose social engineering that did not have a basis in science, rather like “climate change” today.
Racism was solidly mainstream in 1910 as well.
TR was progressive. He was also brilliant. He would cringe at where his progressivism has led.
Great post. Thank you. I am about as far from “progressive” in any sense of the word as you can get, but I do admire TR. I think he was a genius, a patriot, and very likeable.
These are the statements that I find to be truely puzzling.
Everything that progressivism has become today can be seen right in his Bull Moose party platform from 1912, his "New Nationalism" speech, as well has his high regard for Herbert Croly's two books "The Promise of American Life" and "Progressive Democracy", and finally his disdain for the U.S. Constitution.(noting some of his activities, such as he was the first President to issue over 1000 executive orders)
Nothing has changed from Bull Moose, it is still all big government for the sake of big government.
I will admit, when I learned of TR’s support for the eugenics movement, my respect for him diminished.
However, the philosophy of eugenics and utilitarianism was popular during that time. Many people, H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, Margaret Sanger, TR, and others were adherents to it. That doesn’t make it right of course.
The philosopher G. K. Chesterton was actively opposed to eugenics and regularly called out the flawed thinking of its proponents.