POPULATION CONTROLS: The Neo-Malthusian vs. Cornucopian Perspective “There's no difference between having a girl or a boy — girls can also continue the family line.”

I. Factors Affecting Fertility

A. Economic Factors 1. Agrarian societies: children are assets 2. Industrial societies: children are liabilities 3. Level of development: smaller family size= higher standard of living

B. Social Factors 1. “traditional” role of woman (child-bearer) 2. children to care for elderly 3. male preference 4. high infant mortality rate 5. low literacy rates 6. lack of birth control 7. Religion: Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism

Natalis= Birth in Latin C. Political factors Natalis= Birth in Latin 1. Anti-natal policies: -China (“One-Child Policy”) & India 2. Pro-natal policies: - China 1950-60’s - pop. implosion fears (Italy, Russia) France--need to bring in guest workers is changing their society. Singapore--saw population double between ww2 and 60s. Instituted a strict population policy (See Fellmann…) then became concerned when they fell below replacement rate in the 1980s

II. Types of Pop. Controls:

A. Involuntary: B. Voluntary: Natural Controls: Government Programs: Hunger Starvation Disease Government Programs: One-Child Policies (Singapore and China) Sterilization Campaigns (P.R., Peru, Mexico, India, Nazis) B. Voluntary: Birth Control Cultural Norms ZPG Movement

C. China’s One-Child Policy: Huge pop. explosion under Mao Zedong (“Every mouth comes with two hands”) started in 1978 rural areas: 2 kids, urban: 1 penalty: “child excess fee” Preference for male children The most “successful” pop. control in human history…

Propaganda Posters “Carry Out Family Planning Implement the Basic National Policy”

“Do a Good Job in Family Planning to Promote Economic Development”

“Why only a boy? Are these not girls?” (1993) “For a healthy family, wait three years before your second child. You can get these family-planning methods from government health workers, hospitals, and health centers for free.” (1996) “Why only a boy? Are these not girls?” (1993)

“Tying the tubes of women is now extremely simple. Laparoscopy is the newest method. The hospital releases you quickly. The scar is very light. This service is available at hospitals and health centers.”

III. THE DEBATE: The whole world could fit into an area the size of Delaware. The whole world could live in single family, one story houses in Texas. The debate is over carrying capacity…how many people are too many??? Population Doubling: 1804 – first billion 1927 – second billion 1974 – third billion 2000 – 6 billion

Sir Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) In An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), Malthus stated: *populations grow faster than food production Population increases with subsistence Checks are either private or destructive: War Poverty Pestilence Famine

“Cornucopian” Viewpoint technology raises carrying capacity (s-curve) resources are viewed as infinite

Are you a Cornucopian or Neo-Malthusian??? Create a diagram, chart, OR web stating choosing one side. Answer each of the questions in 2-3 bullet points 1. Is the human population the cause of environmental problems? 2. Can we some day colonize the moon or outer space? 3. Are humans parasites on the face of the Earth? 4. Are the possibilities of human ingenuity and creativity infinite? 5. When is too many too many?