9.12 Technological Developments Since 1914

2 min read•january 14, 2023

Sharii Liang

Isabela Padilha Vilela

AP European History 🇪🇺

335 resources

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Progress and Backlash

Inventions and medical discoveries that are common in modern times shocked the people back then. Ethics truly came into its own during this time as people wondered about birth control, abortion, fertility treatments, and genetic engineering. They were life changers that posed both social and moral questions. Neither religion, politics, or philosophy could give a definitive consensus on these technological innovations even today. There is still a different level of acceptance on the use of birth control across the continent today, which is dependant on the role of the Church and religious conservatism in the country.

Impact on Europe

On the other hand, these technological advancements had significant consequences in the lives of European women. Through the higher accessbility to birth control technology, women increased their capacity to pursue careers and gained autonomy over the number of children they wanted to have. The rise in birth control can be tracked to the 1960s, and here are the driving factors:

Changing culture ⚧- the ideas of sex and sexuality began to shift with the sexual revolution of 1960s and the 1970s. The higher acceptance of pre-marital sex led to higher demand for birth control.
Economic factors 💰- At this point in time, women were still trying to integrate the workforce, but lack of control over pregnancy affected their capability to do so. The demand for women to work also contributed to a rise in birth control.
Government policies 📃- Birth control programs were instituted by governments to increase access to the technology. The integration of women in the workforce was also beneficial to the nations, as it could increase their economic activity.

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