War and the Breed by David Starr Jordan (Hardback)

Abridged with an foreword by J.W. Jamieson

War and the Breed explores the relationship between war and the downfall of nations. Written in 1915 during the midst of World War I, it is a study of how war affects human racial development. Jordan argues that war leads to racial decadence because it kills off the best members of the gene pool, weakening the population both physically and mentally. He connects this idea to eugenics and dysgenics, presenting war as a destructive force that ultimately damages the vitality of nations. The book is a reflection of Jordan’s antimilitarist views and his concern about the long-term consequences of war on societies.

This work is an extended treatise that builds on Jordan’s earlier essays on related themes concerning race, war, and human nature. It highlights the idea that a nation’s strength depends on the quality of its people, which war diminishes by removing the fittest individuals from the population.

Condition Note: New