In "The Passing of the Great Race" by Madison Grant, the idea expressed is that immigrants from southern and eastern Europe are considered mentally and morally inferior and are seen as a threat to the strength of American society. Grant advocated for eugenics, a belief in improving the genetic quality of the human population through selective breeding, and he promoted the idea of preserving the purity of the "Nordic" or Anglo-Saxon race. Grant's work reflected discriminatory views against certain immigrant groups, portraying them as detrimental to American society.
This perspective was influential in shaping restrictive immigration policies in the early 20th century, such as the Immigration Act of 1924, which aimed to limit the influx of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe based on the belief in racial hierarchy and superiority.
It's important to understand the historical context in which these ideas were promoted and the impact they had on immigration policies and societal attitudes towards different ethnic and racial groups. Grant's work has been criticized for promoting racism and discriminatory practices based on pseudoscientific beliefs about race and genetics.
