The Passing of the Great Race or the Racial Basis of European History

1. Race, Not Language or Nationality, Shapes History

European history has been written in terms of nationality and of language, but never before in terms of race; yet race has played a far larger part than either language or nationality in moulding the destinies of men.

Race as a primary force. Traditional historical narratives often emphasize nationality and language, but race is a more fundamental determinant of human destiny. Race, with its implications of heredity, influences moral, social, and intellectual characteristics, which in turn shape political and governmental structures.

Beyond superficial labels. Historians and philologists often rely on tribal or national names, or linguistic groupings, as definitions of race, leading to mythical constructs like the "Latin" or "Aryan" race. Modern anthropology reveals that racial lines are independent of national and linguistic groupings, often cutting through them at sharp angles.

The immutability of race. The science of race underscores the enduring nature of physical and psychological traits, challenging the notion that environment is the primary driver of human development. This perspective clashes with democratic and socialist ideologies that seek to erase distinctions based on nationality, language, race, religion, and class.

2. Heredity Trumps Environment in Shaping Human Traits

History is repeating itself in America at the present time and incidentally is giving a convincing demonstration of the central thought in this volume, namely, that heredity and racial predisposition are stronger and more stable than environment and education.

The power of inheritance. Heredity exerts a more profound and lasting influence on human actions than environment or education. While environment can have immediate, apparent, and temporary effects, heredity shapes the deeper, more subtle, and permanent aspects of human behavior.

Challenging environmentalism. The emphasis on heredity is a reaction against the teachings of historians like Hippolyte Taine and biologists like Herbert Spencer, who prioritized environment as the primary influence. The author argues that racial history is essentially the heredity history of Europe, influenced by hereditary impulses and predispositions formed long before civilization.

Moral implications. Recognizing the power of heredity has significant moral implications, particularly for eugenics. It underscores the importance of conserving and multiplying the best spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical forces of heredity within a nation to maintain the integrity of its institutions.

3. European Populations Comprise Layers of Ancient Races

The living peoples of Europe consist of layer upon layer of diverse racial elements in varying proportions and historians and anthropologists, while studying these populations, have been concerned chiefly with the recent strata and have neglected the more ancient and submerged types.

A palimpsest of peoples. Europe's current inhabitants are the result of successive waves of migration and settlement, with each layer of population contributing to the continent's diverse racial makeup. Historians and anthropologists have often focused on the more recent arrivals, overlooking the ancient and submerged types that continue to exert influence.

Resurgence of the old. Aboriginal populations, repeatedly swamped by newcomers, have often disappeared from historical view, only to reassert their physical type over centuries. The racial history of Europe is a story of repression and resurgence, with ancient elements slowly breeding out their conquerors.

Waves of invasion. New races have typically arrived in successive waves, with earlier arrivals being quickly absorbed and later arrivals maintaining their purity for longer. The more primitive strata of the population often contain physical traits derived from even more ancient predecessors.

4. Nordic Race: Tall, Fair, and Suited for Temperate Climates

Whatever may be its intellectual, its literary, its artistic or its musical aptitudes, as compared with other races, the Anglo-Saxon branch of the Nordic race is again showing itself to be that upon which the nation must chiefly depend for leadership, for courage, for loyalty, for unity and harmony of action, for self-sacrifice and devotion to an ideal.

Defining Nordic traits. The Nordic race, characterized by long skulls, tall stature, fair skin, blond or brown hair, and light-colored eyes, is primarily found in the countries around the North and Baltic Seas. This race has historically been associated with leadership, courage, loyalty, and a devotion to ideals.

Climate and habitat. The Nordic race thrives in temperate climates with distinct seasons, benefiting from the variety of temperature and moisture. Protection from intense sunlight is also crucial, as the actinic rays of the sun can adversely affect their delicate nervous systems.

• Sharp contrasts between night and day temperatures
• Limited but constant alternations of heat and cold
• Variety of weather patterns

Dysgenic effects of war. War is dysgenic, destroying the best strains spiritually, morally, and physically. The destruction of wealth is a small matter compared to the loss of the real human aristocracy, which, once lost, is lost forever.

5. Competition Between Races Leads to Replacement

Where two races occupy a country side by side, it is not correct to speak of one type as changing into the other.

The struggle for dominance. When two races coexist, one will inevitably possess some advantage that allows it to flourish at the expense of the other. Those with favorable variations will thrive, producing more offspring who inherit those traits, leading to the gradual replacement of one type by another.

Birth rates and social pressure. Social and economic conditions influence birth rates among different classes and races. In democratic societies, the operation of universal suffrage tends toward the selection of the average man for public office rather than the qualified leader, inevitably increasing the preponderance of lower types.

The role of altruism. Altruism, philanthropy, and sentimentalism can inadvertently hinder natural selection by preserving weaker individuals who would otherwise be eliminated. This can lead to the multiplication of inferior types and a decline in the overall quality of the population.

6. Democracy Can Hinder Progress by Elevating Inferior Types

In the democratic forms of government the operation of universal suffrage tends toward the selection of the average man for public office rather than the man qualified by birth, education and integrity.

The rule of the average. Democratic systems, with their emphasis on universal suffrage, often lead to the selection of average individuals for public office, rather than those qualified by birth, education, and integrity. This can result in a loss of efficiency and a decline in the overall quality of leadership.

Standardization and mediocrity. Democracy tends toward standardization of type and a diminution of the influence of genius. The majority, being inherently inferior to a picked minority, often resents specializations in which it cannot share.

Historical parallels. The French Revolution saw the deliberate destruction of the higher type, and the American Revolution resulted in the expulsion of Loyalists, leading to a loss of good race strains that were later replaced by immigrants of lower type.

7. Eugenics: A Necessary Tool for Racial Improvement

The laws of nature require the obliteration of the unfit and human life is valuable only when it is of use to the community or race.

Elimination of the unfit. A rigid system of selection through the elimination of the weak or unfit is essential for racial improvement. This involves social failures, criminals, the diseased, and the insane, ensuring that their defective strains do not propagate.

Sterilization as a solution. Sterilization is presented as a practical, merciful, and inevitable solution to the problem of defective strains. By preventing the procreation of the feebleminded and criminal, society can protect itself from an ever-increasing burden of moral perverts, mental defectives, and hereditary cripples.

The role of charity. While charitable organizations may provide relief to suffering individuals, they can also inadvertently harm the race by preserving defective strains. It is crucial to balance humanitarian impulses with the long-term interests of the community and race.

8. Language and Nationality Are Distinct from Race

Race lies at the base of all the manifestation of modern society, just as it has done throughout the unrecorded eons of the past and the laws of nature operate with the same relentless and unchanging force in human affairs as in the phenomena of inanimate nature.

Beyond linguistic and political groupings. Race is distinct from both nationality and language. The assumption that one is indicative of the other has been a serious impediment to understanding racial values.

The unifying power of language. A common language can create a bond that draws people together, as seen among English-speaking nations. However, language alone does not determine race, and many individuals speak a language without possessing the blood of its originators.

The illusion of race consciousness. True race consciousness is rare, with most people identifying more strongly with their nationality or language. This lack of awareness can hinder the recognition of racial affinities and the importance of maintaining racial purity.

9. The Nordic Race: Origin, Expansion, and Decline

The tendency in a democracy is toward a standardization of type and a diminution of the influence of genius.

A purely European type. The Nordic race, with its unique specializations of wavy hair, light eyes, fair skin, and tall stature, is a purely European type that developed within the confines of the continent. This race has played a significant role in shaping European history and culture.

From Russia to Scandinavia. The Nordic race likely evolved in the forests and plains of eastern Germany, Poland, and Russia, before expanding northward into Scandinavia. This region became the nursery of the Teutonic or Scandinavian branch, known for its tall stature and blondness.

The ebb and flow of Nordic influence. While the Nordic race once dominated much of Europe, its influence has waned over time due to factors such as war, emigration, and competition with other races. The resurgence of inferior races and classes is evident throughout Europe and the world.

10. Racial Aptitudes: Physical and Spiritual Traits Vary by Race

The great lesson of the science of race is the immutability of somatological or bodily characters, with which is closely associated the immutability of psychical predispositions and impulses.

Distinctive characteristics. Each race possesses unique physical, mental, and spiritual attributes that are transmitted from generation to generation. While these traits are not exclusive to any one race, they tend to occur with greater frequency in certain groups.

Nordic traits. The Nordic race is characterized by a strong sense of individuality, self-reliance, and a jealousy of personal freedom. They are often associated with chivalry, knighthood, and a hierarchical social structure.

The importance of selection. A rigid system of selection, favoring the strong and fit, is essential for maintaining the quality of a race. This involves eliminating those who are weak or unfit, ensuring that the best traits are passed on to future generations.

Last updated: April 13, 2025