Det fingerade samtycket - En granskning av den svenska steriliseringstraditionen under perioden 1935-1975
(2018) LAGF03 20181Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract
- For almost 40 years Sweden had a legislation that made it possible for the government to sterilize individuals, who lacked legal capacity, without their consent. 62.888 operations were performed during the years 1935 to 1975. The question I asked myself was whether or not there was any form of voluntary sterilization at all during this period. Voluntary sterilization was not possible between 1935–1941, due to the fact that the first sterilization law was based on force only. However, it was possible for individuals, during 1941–1975, to get permission to undergo sterilization based on their own initiative. Whether or not these voluntary operations were performed to please the state interests or the individuals is an enigma.
This essay... (More) - For almost 40 years Sweden had a legislation that made it possible for the government to sterilize individuals, who lacked legal capacity, without their consent. 62.888 operations were performed during the years 1935 to 1975. The question I asked myself was whether or not there was any form of voluntary sterilization at all during this period. Voluntary sterilization was not possible between 1935–1941, due to the fact that the first sterilization law was based on force only. However, it was possible for individuals, during 1941–1975, to get permission to undergo sterilization based on their own initiative. Whether or not these voluntary operations were performed to please the state interests or the individuals is an enigma.
This essay begins with a historical introduction to the subject and is then followed by a report where I account for two representations of the matter and also the representation in a governmental investigation. The main focus of my essay will be on their conclusions regarding the extent of compulsion in these performed operations. My own conclusion is that the interpretation of these applications can be different depending on your own position on the subject. It seems to me that it is impossible to get an exact number of sterilizations performed as a result of government force. According to me, to reach that accuracy, it would be necessary to actually ask everyone that was sterilized during that period whether or not they gave their consent to the operation.
Every operation performed on an individual without consent is a result of state abuse and also a sign of governmental regulation that never should have occurred in the welfare state of Sweden. These operations constitutes examples of when the state entered peoples bedrooms and started to correct the reproduction of its citizens to promote society. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- I 40 år hade Sverige en lagstiftning som möjliggjorde sterilisering utan samtycke av de som saknade rättskapacitet. 62.888 operationer utfördes under dessa år, närmare bestämt mellan 1935–1975. Frågan jag ställde mig var huruvida samtliga ingrepp genomförts som ett resultat av myndighetstvång eller ifall det även förekom frivillig sterilisering. Mellan 1935–1941 var frivillig sterilisering inte möjlig eftersom Sveriges första steriliseringslag var en ren tvångslag. Däremot mellan 1941–1975 var det möjligt för den enskilde att få till stånd en steriliseringsoperation på eget initiativ. Huruvida dessa frivilliga operationer de facto genomförts för att tillgodose den enskildes intresse eller samhällsintresset är en gåta.
Uppsatsen består... (More) - I 40 år hade Sverige en lagstiftning som möjliggjorde sterilisering utan samtycke av de som saknade rättskapacitet. 62.888 operationer utfördes under dessa år, närmare bestämt mellan 1935–1975. Frågan jag ställde mig var huruvida samtliga ingrepp genomförts som ett resultat av myndighetstvång eller ifall det även förekom frivillig sterilisering. Mellan 1935–1941 var frivillig sterilisering inte möjlig eftersom Sveriges första steriliseringslag var en ren tvångslag. Däremot mellan 1941–1975 var det möjligt för den enskilde att få till stånd en steriliseringsoperation på eget initiativ. Huruvida dessa frivilliga operationer de facto genomförts för att tillgodose den enskildes intresse eller samhällsintresset är en gåta.
Uppsatsen består av en historisk del som utgör introduktion till ämnet för att därefter redogöra för två, av mig utvalda, framställningar samt framställningen i en statlig offentlig utredning. Fokus kommer att ligga på de slutsatser framställningarna presenterar angående inslaget av tvång och frivillighet i dessa 62.888 ingrepp. Min slutsats är att den tolkning av steriliseringsansökningarna som genomförts går att vrida åt önskat håll. Det ter sig för mig vara en omöjlighet att med säkerhet avgöra hur många operationer som har tvångsinslag. För att uppnå ett med verkligheten överensstämmande resultat vore det enligt mig nödvändigt att fråga samtliga steriliserade under perioden huruvida dessa samtyckt till ingreppet eller inte.
Oavsett antalet frivilliga steriliseringar under perioden utgör varje enskild operation, där samtycke inte förelegat, ett statlig övergrepp på den enskilde individen och utgör ett bevis på en samhällsstyrning som aldrig borde ha fått förekomma i välfärdsstaten Sverige. Steriliseringsingreppen utgör exempel på att staten under perioden stormade in i medborgarnas sängkamrar och började korrigera reproduktionen hos sina samhällsmedborgare för att främja samhället och samhällsnyttan. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8941359
- author
- Nilsson, Emma LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- LAGF03 20181
- year
- 2018
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Rättshistoria, sterilisering
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 8941359
- date added to LUP
- 2018-07-09 16:41:26
- date last changed
- 2018-07-09 16:41:26
@misc{8941359,
abstract = {{For almost 40 years Sweden had a legislation that made it possible for the government to sterilize individuals, who lacked legal capacity, without their consent. 62.888 operations were performed during the years 1935 to 1975. The question I asked myself was whether or not there was any form of voluntary sterilization at all during this period. Voluntary sterilization was not possible between 1935–1941, due to the fact that the first sterilization law was based on force only. However, it was possible for individuals, during 1941–1975, to get permission to undergo sterilization based on their own initiative. Whether or not these voluntary operations were performed to please the state interests or the individuals is an enigma.
This essay begins with a historical introduction to the subject and is then followed by a report where I account for two representations of the matter and also the representation in a governmental investigation. The main focus of my essay will be on their conclusions regarding the extent of compulsion in these performed operations. My own conclusion is that the interpretation of these applications can be different depending on your own position on the subject. It seems to me that it is impossible to get an exact number of sterilizations performed as a result of government force. According to me, to reach that accuracy, it would be necessary to actually ask everyone that was sterilized during that period whether or not they gave their consent to the operation.
Every operation performed on an individual without consent is a result of state abuse and also a sign of governmental regulation that never should have occurred in the welfare state of Sweden. These operations constitutes examples of when the state entered peoples bedrooms and started to correct the reproduction of its citizens to promote society.}},
author = {{Nilsson, Emma}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Det fingerade samtycket - En granskning av den svenska steriliseringstraditionen under perioden 1935-1975}},
year = {{2018}},
}