Discoveries of the Future: Herbert G. Wells and the Eugenic Utopia
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When the process of geographical expansion came to a halt at the end of the nineteenth century, the preferred settings of literary utopias also changed. Inspired by Darwin’s theory of evolution, H. G. Wells set out to ‘discover’ the future in his fictional and non-fictional writings and speculated on the biological development of the human race. Beginning with his Anticipations of 1901, a strong interest in Francis Galton’s programme of eugenics is also traceable in his works. Wells’ attitude to this programme, however, remained ambivalent. While he was highly sceptical about the feasibility of any positive eugenic measures, such as breeding schemes, he did not reject negative ones, such as sterilisation programmes for the ‘unfit’. In this essay, particular attention is paid to two of Wells’ writings: the semi-fictional essay A Modern Utopia (1905) and the purely fictional narrative Men Like Gods (1923). While in the former the author is careful not to suggest any extreme eugenic measures, the latter includes his most radical vision of a society shaped by eugenic policies. This vision, however, is clearly qualified by the fact that it appears only within a fictional framework. When viewed as a whole, Wells’ writings gradually reveal his growing scepticism towards eugenics, culminating in his downright rejection of the idea at the end of his life when the issue of human rights had become his central concern.