The Scope of Reform

Reformers might also try to change the ordinary and the mundane. Some reformers promote a fundamentally different life-style. Such was the case with the Lebensreform (life-style reform) movement in Germany early in the 20th century. With the increasing industrialization of society, many people felt that life had become mechanical and impersonal. The reformers advocated a back-to-nature approach to life. They promoted fitness, outdoor pursuits, natural medicine, and vegetarianism.

Reforms can also end up promoting a different, sometimes harmful, cause. The Lebensreform movement in Germany helped develop the theory of eugenics, the study of how to improve the human race by selecting parents who will produce stronger offspring. Radicals misused this knowledge, however, to support the National Socialists in their ideological struggle to create a superrace.