Loading…
Loading…
GCSE History · key term
A false system of ranking human groups as supposedly superior or inferior, used by the Nazis to justify unequal treatment.
Used by Edexcel and OCR
Paper 3
Revise: Persecution of MinoritiesHitler claimed that humanity could be divided into a racial hierarchy, with so-called ‘Aryans’ at the top. Nazi propaganda presented blond hair, blue eyes and athletic bodies as an ideal. These were racist beliefs, not scientific facts.
Paper 3
The belief that people can be divided into racial groups ranked as supposedly superior or inferior. This is an ideology, not a factual ranking of human worth.
Create a free account to read GCSE History revision notes for your exam board and track your progress.
A racial hierarchy is the belief that people belong to racial groups which can be ranked as supposedly superior or inferior. It turns differences between people into a claim about their worth and the rights they should have. These rankings are prejudices, not facts about human value.