This is a global history of the population control movement. The author argues that though this most ambitious of social engineering projects was promoted as a way to lift people out of poverty and even to save the planet, it became a means to plan other people's families.
Great book. Valuable historical insight, and fair warning to those societies being tempted, or coerced into commodifying human life.
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This is a beautifully written book about an incendiary topic. Starting with Malthus many argued that population would overwhelm our resources. Life expectancy kept growing, swelling the levels of humans alive. A vast population control movement swung into motion, bent on stamping out population growth everywhere, but especially in poor countries. Many of the early members of the movement seemed inspired by racism...
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Though science is a progressive activity, social policies defended as "scientific," when examined in hindsight, often reveal themselves to be based on little more than ephemeral cultural beliefs. Historical analyses of social policies 50 years on almost always uncover strong, sometimes fatal, nationalist, class, race, or gender-biases. Yet, our faith in progress drives us to believe that the mistakes of the past were due simply...
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I was a public health activist in the 60s and supported population control as appropriate public health policy. Mr. Connelly's extremely well documented book about population contral has contributed to my rethinking population control and public health policy in general. The well written book raises important questions about health policy today. The book is must reading for health policy makers and students of public health...
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In this remarkable book, Connelly writes about the international history of population control movements. Strengths: Exceptionally well-written (does not read like a typical university press history book), superbly researched (solid and extensive archival research), and poignantly (and passionately) argued. Weaknesses: None. Recommended for: the general public, politicians, family planning officials, the Board of Immigration...
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