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The Greek biopolitics of reproduction during the post-war period was determined by the demographic figures. Instead of a rise in births, Greece experienced a constant downward trajectory of the birth rate throughout the second half of the twentieth century. The country also witnessed population instability due to the massive immigration in the 1960s and the wave of repatriation in the next decade. The article explores the state's biopolitics in order to achieve demographic equilibrium by adopting a pronatalist perspective. The construction of biopolitics was influenced by the consecutive wars of the first half of the century resulting in the denial of any means suspected of reducing the birth rate, such as contraception and abortion. In parallel, the article investigates the attempts of a group of eugenicists to impose to the state authorities their own views on reproduction control. The key debates were birth control and abortion because these issues of reproduction were entangled with major social fermentations caused by urbanization, modernization, eugenics, and feminism. The Constitution of 1974 was instrumental in changing the biopolitics of reproduction by introducing equal rights to men and women. It provoked a series of legal transformations with regard to marriage, family, and reproduction., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Taking stock of accomplishments in the field of population reveals that significant progress has been made since the late 1960s but that much remains to be done. Important challenges in population for 1990 and beyond include the implementation of more effective family planning programs, greater accessibility to better family planning services at the local level, a wider range of choices in contraceptive methods, and better training and supervision of family planning delivery personnel. Another major challenge is to give attention to the various aspects of the role of women--beyond mere acknowledgement and to the actual implementation of programs. Further, policies need to be formulated and implemented across several sectors to deal with the complex interaction between population, resources, and the environment. To devise such policies, knowledge of the interrelationships needs to be clarified and refined. Finally, still greater emphasis will have to be placed on improving the integration of population and development. Accomplishing that will require wider awareness, enhanced coordination and adequate resources--an increase of at least $100 million per year from now to the end of the century over the annual current level of some $550 million for all external assistance for population.