Karl Kristian Vilhelm Steincke (25 August 1880 – 8 August 1963), was a Danish

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

from the

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Form ...

. He was

justice minister A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

from 1924 to 1926 in the

Stauning I Cabinet The First Cabinet of Stauning was the government of Denmark from 23 April 1924, to 14 December 1926. It was the first Social Democrats Social democracy is a social, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports political ...

, social minister from 1929 to 1935 in the

Stauning II Cabinet The Second Cabinet of Stauning was the government of Denmark from 30 April 1929 to 4 November 1935. It replaced the Madsen-Mygdal Cabinet, and was replaced by the Third Stauning Cabinet. This was the first coalition government in Danish history, ...

, and justice minister again from 1935 to 1939 in the

Stauning III Cabinet The Third Cabinet of Stauning was the government of Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a ...

and in 1950 in the Hedtoft I and II Cabinets. He has been cited as the chief architect of the Danish

welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the State (polity), state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal oppor ...

with the Social Reform Acts of the early 1930s, including the Kanslergade Agreement.

Eugenics

Steincke is especially known for his book ''The Future's Social Welfare'' () from 1920 in which he foretells:

"We treat the inferior individual with all care and love, but forbid him, in return, only to reproduce himself."

His book was the basis of the Danish laws about

Eugenics Eugenics is a set of largely discredited beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter the frequency of various human phenotypes by inhibiting the fer ...

, the sterilization and castration of unwanted elements. Steincke regarded the prevention of "inferior individuals" reproducing as important for society, as for the children of the "inferior individuals".

Notes

1880 births 1963 deaths Ministers of justice of Denmark Speakers of the Landsting (Denmark) Burials at Vestre Cemetery, Copenhagen {{Denmark-politician-stub