Malthusian, 1879-1921 (formerly Women and the Social Control of Their Bodies)

Two turn-of-the-century periodicals are the focus of this collection: The Malthusian and Eugenics Review. The former was published by the Malthusian League, the world's first group promoting family planning, which operated from 1877 to 1927. Championing the ideas of Thomas Robert Malthus, members believed that overpopulation was the biggest cause of poverty. Per its statement of purpose, the league's objectives were “to agitate for the abolition of all penalties on the public discussion of the Population Question” and to spread “knowledge of the laws of population, of its consequences, and of its bearing upon human conduct and morals.” The league battled public disapproval but succeeded in affecting both public policy and the thinking of Sigmund Freud and Margaret Sanger, among others.

This collection consists of the group's monthly journal, The Malthusian, from its first issue in 1879 through its last issue under that name, in 1921. Articles focused on poverty, overpopulation, demographics, laws, race, and birth control, often in relation to issues of the time. The publication offered detailed minutes of league meetings and meetings of doctors and policymakers where family planning was discussed. Serious in tone, The Malthusian was not written for the poor and working-class families for whom it advocated family planning. It offered no practical advice regarding birth control, nor did it discuss political or economic changes that might diminish poverty, such as socialism or trade union participation.

Eugenics Review was a quarterly publication of the Eugenics Education Society. Eugenics is the belief that positive human traits are hereditary. Therefore, the genetic quality of the population could be improved by encouraging people with positive traits to reproduce and by discouraging those with negative traits from reproducing. Francis Galton, who coined the term “eugenics,” wrote the foreword to the Eugenics Review's first issue. The goals of the periodical were to acquaint members with each other, spread information about eugenics, and place eugenics on a scientific foundation. Topics included abortion, birth control, morality, divorce, crime, poverty, parenthood, legislation, and many other concepts relating to families. This collection contains all issues of Eugenics Review from its beginning in 1909 through 1921.

The Malthusian and Eugenics Review will interest researchers studying the theoretical underpinnings of early groups promoting family planning and the day-to-day activities of such groups.