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Summary
Compulsory sterilization of the mentally ill in Vaud, Switzerland (1928) was driven by fears of "degenerated" offspring harming societal order. This eugenics policy disproportionately targeted impoverished, marginalized women.
Area of Science:
- Social History
- History of Medicine
- Eugenics Studies
Context:
- Examines the historical context of eugenics in early 20th-century Switzerland.
- Focuses on the Canton of Vaud and its 1928 compulsory sterilization law.
Purpose:
- To analyze the intellectual, social, and political factors enabling compulsory sterilization legislation.
- To understand the societal anxieties driving eugenic policies.
Summary:
- The study details how fears of 'degenerated' and socially harmful progeny facilitated the legal introduction of compulsory sterilization for the mentally ill in Vaud.
- The policy primarily affected marginalized, impoverished women deemed 'feeble-minded'.
Impact:
- Highlights the discriminatory nature of early 20th-century eugenics laws.
- Underscores the targeting of vulnerable populations under the guise of social protection and order.