Eugenics and the Welfare State: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland

316 Pages·2005·11.41 MB·English

by  Gunnar Broberg

W
EUGENICS
Welfare State
A N D T H E
Norw ay, Sw eden, Denm ark, and Finland
Edited by Gunnar Broberg and Nils Holl-Wansen

E
u g e n i c s
AND THE
W S
elfa r e tate

E
u g e n i c s
AND THE
W S
elfa r e tate
Sterilization Policy in Denmark, Sweden,
Norway, and Finland
Edited by Gunnar Broberg and Nils Roll-Hansen
Michigan State University Press
East Lansing
© The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992
(R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).
Michigan State University Press
East Lansing, Michigan 48823-5245
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
11 10 09 08 07 06 05 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ISBN to the revised paperback edition 0-87013-758-1
The 1996 hardcover edition was originally catalogued by the Library of Congress as follows:
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Eugenics and the welfare state : sterilization policy in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland / edited by
Gunnar Broberg and Nils Roll-Hansen
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-87013- (alk. paper)
1. Eugenics—Scandinavia—History. 2. Sterilization, Eugenic—Government policy—Scandinavia—History.
3. Welfare state—History. I. Broberg, Gunnar, 1942- . II. Roll-Hansen, Nils, 1938- .
HQ755.5.S34E94 1995
363.9'2'0948—dc20
95-17633
CIP
Uppsala Studies in History of Science, Volume 21.
Eugenics and the Welfare State: Sterilization Policy in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland was produced
with the financial support of the Uppsala Studies in the History of Science Series.
Cover design by Heather Truelove Aiston.
g green Michigan State University Press is a member of the Green Press Initiative and is committed
Fn rT^At^ve to developing and encouraging ecologically responsible publishing practices. For more infor­
mation about the Green Press Initiative and the use of recycled paper in book publishing, please visit
www. green p ressi nitiati ve. co m.
Visit Michigan State University Press on the World Wide Web at www.msupress.msu.edu
Contents
Preface to the 1996 Edition
Preface to the 2005 Edition
Scandinavia: An Introduction
Gunnar Broberg
Something Rotten in the State of Denmark:
Eugenics and the Ascent of the Welfare State
Bent Sigurd Hansen
Eugenics in Sweden: Efficient Care
Gunnar Broberg and Mattias Tyden
Norwegian Eugenics: Sterilization as Social Reform
Nils Roll-Hansen
From Race Hygiene to Sterilization:
The Eugenics Movement in Finland
Marjatta Hietala
Conclusion: Scandinavian Eugenics in the International Context
Nils Roll-Hansen
Bibliography

1996
Preface to Edition
This book, Eugenics and the Welfare State, is the first real attempt to cover the
story of the Scandinavian, including Finnish, history of eugenics. It has
been told in rather similar ways to make comparisons possible. The book starts
with a general introduction, which is followed by separate chapters on
Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Finally, there is a conclusion bringing
the Scandinavian experience into a broader European context. Considering
that so much of our story has been unknown, we have allowed ourselves rather
extensive descriptions and documentation. As Scandinavian welfare has often
been given prominence in European and American discussions we feel that this
story warrants attention. Clearly, it offers a different picture of Scandinavian
history than is generally known.
We would like to thank those who have checked our English (Dag Blanck
and others) as well as NOS-H for a generous grant and Wissenschaftskolleg zu
Berlin for funding a seminar on eugenics and the welfare state.
Gunnar Broberg
Nils Roll-Hansen
'