Orzecznictwo Sądu Najwyższego Stanów Zjednoczonych w dobie ery progresywnej: eugenika a kwestie ekonomiczne
United States Supreme Court Jurisprudence in the Progressive Era: Eugenics and Economic Issues

Summary/Abstract: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reform movements in the United States attempted to match American ideals with the challenges of the times. The need for reform was advocated by different social groups. The aim of the publication is to answer the following questions: What was the perception of eugenics in the United States during the Progressive Era? How did economic issues influence the legitimacy of eugenics? Were eugenic practices in conformity with the directions of progressive reforms? How can we assess the impact of the Supreme Court of the United States jurisprudence on the development of eugenics? In this particular study, ahistorical-descriptive method and a formal-dogmatic method (analysis of selected legal texts and court decisions) were applied to address the research questions and to reach some conclusions. The jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of the United States has played an important part in shaping the American legal order. However, some of the rulings were controversial, and they are still vigorously debated up to the present day. Unfortunately, some decisions were not compatible with the visions of progressive reformers, and they reflected ideological attitudes of the justices rather than an aspiration for reform. Certain elements of eugenic philosophy were incorporated into state policy in the form of legitimization of the forced sterilisation, racial segregation, or marriage restrictions.

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