Anti-natalist policies
policy adopt for rapidly rising population, leading to overpopulation. occurs in stage
2 + 3.
policies can include: education regarding family planning and contraception,
proving free contraception, providing free sterilization, legalising abortion,
introducing laws that limit family size
best way to reduce fertility is to encourage the education of girls. these women
take control of their lives, including fertility.
another method is ensuring rapid economic development. modernisation will drive
a family quickly through the DTM so that parents will see children as an economic
drain.
Pro-natalist policies
when working population is declining and elderly are increasing. result of low
fertility, emigration or ageing population. decline in working population leads to
economic stagnation, lack of tax revenue and increase in poverty.
encourage women to have more babies, more socially acceptable than
encouraging immigration.
in France, policies include: more children you have the less tax you pay, paid
parental leave unto 36 months, used by either parent, subsidised nursery for under
3’s and free schooling, €800 a month for mother to stay of work for a year after birth of 3rd child, large family card for families with three or more, big reductions
on train fares
Case study: China’s pop change momentum
china was an LIC in 1980 but is now a MIC and NIC and will soon have the biggest
economy in the world. the largest population in the world: 1.3 billion.
Problem: in 1949 china was a peasant economy and the CCP (Chinese communist
party) came to power. the CCP encouraged high BR to have more people to
produce more food and build a strong army. in 20 years, the pop grew from 540 to
830 million, resources were struggling to cope with the numbers. famine in 1961
when millions died and in 1970 people still had no access to clean water or
electricity.
Late long and few policy: introduced in 1970 to reduce pop growth rate. encourage
people to have children later, leave longer gaps between each child and have
fewer children in total. policy worked well, reduced fertility rates from 5.7 in 1970
to 2.9 in 1979. more sustainable than the earlier ‘rapid growth’ as resources
weren’t being used as fast and reached one billion in ’79. predicted that pop would
reach 2 billion early 21st century and food supplies wouldn’t cope.
One child policy: introduced 1979 and planned to last 100 years. couples with one
child were given benefits (longer maternity leave, better housing, free healthcare
and education). benefits stopped if second child born and fined a proportion of
their income.
To support the policy gov introduced: law to prevent people marrying before a
certain age. free contraception and family planning advice. permission slip to allow
a second child. without the slip the child can’t be registered at birth and therefore
received no benefits or education. tell-tales in factories who reported to authorities
on fellow workers if they became pregnant. granny police to spy on couples in
areas where they lived. very late abortions to terminate 2nd pregnancies. free
sterilisation for couples who already have one child.
policy was unpopular in rural areas as more children are needed to work the family
land and look after parents when they’re elderly. led to infanticide where baby girls
were allowed to die so families could try for a boy. even in cities, female embryos
were aborted so couples could try for a boy.
effective policy as reduced fertility rate by 1.1 in 30 years. prevented 400 million
births and pop is now lower than it could have been. fewer resources used and
people have a higher standard of living and quality of life. breathing space to
develop an economy and people can be counted as a resource. demographic
dividend is one reason why the economy has been able to grow by 9% a year since
1990.
Future troubles: improved healthcare and food supplies mean DR is 9 per 1000 per
year. ‘4-2-1’ problem will develop, pop gets older, single child will support 2
parents and 4 grandparents. it will become a youthful pop which can result in
unemployment as they won’t be enough jobs for everyone. indulged and spoilt only
child. may not work well with others when they grow up, ‘little emperor’.
preference for sons than daughters so now 30 million more men than women, may
not be able to find wives. ‘spare branch’ problem and can lead to loneliness and
other social problems.
Recent changes: fertility rate of 1.8 (1.5 – 2017) is well below ‘replacement level’
and china is aware of importance of a large and productive workforce for the
future. policy has been eased; in rural areas, easier to have 2 children, 45% of pop
live and work in countryside. if one partner has a disability, they are allowed a
second to help look after them. in 2014, said that if one partner is an only child
then they’re allowed to have 2 babies. so many of the under-35 age range in china are single children so more couples are allowed 2 children. couples aren’t allowed
to have sex selective abortions.
