The Rockefeller Foundation and the League of Nations: Public Health in Europe (1920-1945)

Abstract

The Rockefeller Foundation (RF) and the League of Nations (LON) played a fundamental role in stabilization policies during the interwar period. Public health became essential in this context due to the immediate consequences of the war, the post-war economic crisis and the Great Depression. RF and LON became the cornerstone of international action in several fields: epidemics, famine, malnutrition, infectious diseases, infant mortality, drug abuse, biological and dietary standard-setting, epidemiological records, public health policies and professionalization. In the shaping international health expertise, LON and RF collaboration was extremely important, in terms of determining goals and programmes, and in terms of financial support. This article analyses the areas and the extent of their collaboration in Europe.