The History of Euthanasia

Euthanasia, the act of mercy killing, but whether or not it is an act of mercy has been of great debate. Euthanasia has appeared in many places of the world and at various times as well. These topics will be addressed in this paper: Euthanasia in Nazi Germany, euthanasia overseas, and finally, euthanasia in America. Hopefully this will answer some questions, and put some to rest. But what is most important, is knowing what Euthanasia first started as, and then what it became. This does not make euthanasia justifiable or even morally correct; it just shows what it has turned into throughout or over time, or when it falls into play in the wrong hands.

Euthanasia has always been wide spread. But it is most noted in places like Germany, with people like Adolph Hitler. It began, according to some, with a book called "The Permission to Destroy Life Unworthy of Life". In which the authors argued that patients that suffered from painful ailments, should be allow to request permission to end their lives. At the same time, an advisory board should be formed to review a patient's request, a patient can withdraw the request at any time, the "assistance" should be performed under careful and controlled conditions, and there should be provided legal protection for the physician that aided this patient to die.

But it did not stop there. The physicians thought that this opportunity should be provided to "empty shells of human beings", such as those who are disabled by mental disorders, handicaps, any psychiatric conditions including mental retardation, if they could prove there was no chance of improvement. They said this would benefit society. They said that the finances devoted to the "meaningless life" would be given to a greater good, to people more physically fit. And the doctors went on to say that, "Germans needed only to evaluate the relative value of life in different individual."