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The regulation of public morality and eugenics: a productive alliance between the Catholic Church and Italian Fascism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2020

Lucia Pozzi Open the ORCID record for Lucia Pozzi [Opens in a new window]
Lucia Pozzi*
Affiliation:
Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Queensland, Australia
*
*Email: l.pozzi@uq.edu.au; luciapozzi@gmail.com
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Abstract

Historical research acknowledges only cursorily the Catholic contribution to eugenics. Yet there is a substantial link between Catholic discourses on morality and the emergence of Italian eugenics. In this essay I argue that sexual normalisation was a key source of consensus. Masculine and patriarchal values strengthened the strategic collaboration between Fascist demographic policies, the Italian interpretation of eugenics, and Catholic doctrine. I draw on archival and printed material to show that the control of public morality and the support for reproduction met both Catholic and Fascist interests. In particular, I focus on the alliance between the State and the Catholic Church working against ‘the contraceptive mentality’. Mussolini wanted to stimulate religious sentiment as a basis for the fight against depopulation. The Catholic Church desired a set of laws against immorality, birth control and abortion. In this way, Fascism and the Catholic Church found a solid cultural agreement around restoring traditional mores, patriarchal values, and gender hierarchy.

Sebbene sia noto il contributo cattolico all'eugenetica, la storiografia non si è mai concentrata sul legame sostanziale che corre tra i discorsi cattolici sulla moralità e l'emergere dell'eugenetica italiana. Questo saggio individua nella normalizzazione sessuale, vale a dire nei valori maschili e patriarcali, una fonte di consenso essenziale. Questi valori consolidarono la collaborazione strategica tra le politiche demografiche fasciste, l'interpretazione italiana dell'eugenetica e la dottrina cattolica. Ho utilizzato materiale d'archivio inedito e fonti a stampa per mostrare come il controllo della moralità pubblica e il sostegno alla riproduzione incontrarono il favore di cattolici e fascisti. In particolare, in questo saggio mi sono concentrata sull'alleanza tra lo Stato e la chiesa cattolica alleati contro ‘la mentalità contraccettiva’. Mussolini voleva alimentare il sentimento religioso come base per la lotta allo spopolamento. La chiesa cattolica desiderava una serie di leggi contro l'immoralità, il controllo delle nascite e l'aborto. In questo modo, il fascismo e la chiesa cattolica trovarono un solido accordo culturale fondato sul ripristino dei costumi tradizionali, dei valori patriarcali e della gerarchia di genere.

Keywords

eugenicsVaticanFascismmoralitybirth controlanti-feminism
Type
Research Articles
Information
Modern Italy , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , August 2020 , pp. 317 - 331
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Association for the Study of Modern Italy

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