Our Race Problems - Henry Ferdinand Suksdorf

Henry Ferdinand Suksdorf presents a history of humankind framed in the context of various races to have emerged throughout history.

Writing in 1911, it was the author’s belief that each race of humankind undergoes a period of ascendance, followed by a peak wherein intellectual and civilizational achievements are made, and finally a ruinous decline into decadence. In support of his hypothesis, Suksdorf discusses the various civilizations and empires of the past, noting how each has followed this pattern. For the author, each race of humankind has undergone the process of a societal zenith, followed by a fall.

After listing the various successes and demises of twenty-two different races, the author concludes with the Human Race – a prediction that eventually, all of the various races will largely unite. This unity will produce a final peak for human society; a global brotherhood of man. Suksdorf’s prognosis is that national identity will diminish in importance, and that a golden age will emerge in which new heights of societal and moral standards will be met owing to a burgeoning of activity and cooperation. In particular, the author highlights the United States – a nation comprised of peoples with diverse heritages – as a forerunner to this future.