ARYANISM Meaning and
Definition
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Aryanism is a term that historically referred to a racial ideology developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that sought to promote the superiority of the Aryan race. The concept of an Aryan race originated from ancient Indo-Iranian literature, particularly the Rigveda, and was initially associated with the Indo-European peoples from which many European populations descended. However, the idea of Aryanism was distorted and corrupted by racially driven interpretations during the rise of white supremacists and the Nazi Party in Germany.
In the context of Aryanism, the Aryan race was presented as a superior racial group, possessing desirable physical and intellectual traits. This racial ideology was used to justify discrimination, persecution, and the pursuit of Aryan racial purity. Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler's rule, implemented policies based on Aryanism, leading to widespread anti-Semitism, Holocaust, and other forms of racial oppression.
It is important to note that the racial theories surrounding Aryanism have been widely discredited by modern genetic and anthropological research. There is a broad scientific consensus that humans are a single species with no biologically superior race. Nonetheless, the negative legacy of Aryanism persists as a reminder of the dangers and atrocities that can arise from racist ideologies and discrimination based on distorted interpretations of racial origins and superiority.
Etymology of ARYANISM
The word "Aryanism" is derived from the term "Aryan", which has its roots in the ancient Indo-Iranian languages. The word originally appeared in the ancient Indian Sanskrit texts, such as the Rigveda, where it referred to a group of people who spoke Indo-European languages. In this context, "Aryan" meant noble or high-born.
During the 19th century, when European scholars were exploring the linguistic and cultural connections between different ancient civilizations, the term "Aryan" was reinterpreted and associated with theories of racial and cultural superiority. It was believed that the ancient Indo-Aryans were a superior race who originated in the Eurasian steppe and migrated to various regions, including India and Europe.
This concept of Aryan superiority, known as "Aryanism", gained more prominence during the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany in the mid-20th century.
