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

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

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 For ...

. He was justice minister 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 political, social, and economic 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 ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign ...

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 (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 opportunity, equitabl ...

with the Social Reform Acts of the early 1930s, including the

Kanslergade Agreement The Kanslergade Agreement (; da, Kanslergadeforliget) was a 1933 political agreement in Denmark, which laid the foundation for the Danish welfare state. It was enacted by the government of prime minister Thorvald Stauning, with social minister ...

Eugenics

Steincke is especially known for his book ''The Future's Social Welfare'' ( da, Fremtidens forsørgelsesvæsen) 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 fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...

, 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 Danish Justice Ministers Speakers of the Landsting (Denmark) Burials at Vestre Cemetery, Copenhagen {{Denmark-politician-stub