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Eugenics and Involuntary Sterilization: 1907-2015.

Philip R Reilly1

  • 1Concord, Massachusetts 01742;

Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics
|September 1, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Eugenic sterilization policies, initially promoted in England and the US for human health, led to approximately 60,000 sterilizations by WWII. Coerced sterilization persists globally, particularly affecting minority groups.

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Area of Science:

  • History of Medicine
  • Public Health Policy
  • Bioethics

Background:

  • Late 19th-century England saw intellectuals like Francis Galton advocate for eugenic policies.
  • The US Progressive movement adopted eugenics, focusing on immigration restriction and sterilization.

Observation:

  • Indiana passed the first eugenic sterilization law in 1907, upheld by the US Supreme Court in 1927.
  • State programs primarily targeted institutionalized women with mental disabilities.
  • Involuntary sterilization was rationalized as protection against unwanted pregnancies starting in the late 1930s.

Findings:

  • By World War II, the US had sterilized around 60,000 individuals.
  • Nazi Germany's eugenics programs resulted in at least 400,000 sterilizations.
  • US eugenic sterilization programs declined sharply after WWII due to revelations of Nazi atrocities.

Implications:

  • While overt eugenic thinking has diminished, coerced sterilization continues in countries like China and India.
  • Involuntary sterilization remains a concern, intermittently targeting minority groups worldwide.
Keywords:
heredityimmigration restrictionpopulation control

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