Nationalizing Sex

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Government-sponsored breeding programs, medals of motherhood, forced abortions, and surgical sterilization on park benches illustrate the extent of state efforts to nationalize sex and control procreation. Over 170 countries, or 85% of governments, have policies aimed at manipulating fertility to influence population growth. While over 90% of least developed nations seek to reduce fertility rates, more than two-thirds of developed countries are enacting legislation to increase their populations. Despite a century of failures and numerous studies questioning the effectiveness of these interventions, most governments persist in promoting such policies. What motivates this control over family size? This work explores the emergence of population as a governance issue and the evolution of natalist policies through case studies from France, Germany, Russia, India, and China. It examines the origins and development of fertility as a political concern, the shifting narratives surrounding natality, and the global spread of similar policies across diverse states. Crucially, it addresses why, after centuries of ineffectiveness, countries continue to pursue natalist policies despite their widespread failure.