Population Issues

Table of Contents 1. Overpopulation 2. Population Control 3. Population Futures

Overpopulation

The demographic trap: Birth rate remains high in late transition stage Concerns: 1. Food 2. Education 3. Employment

Overpopulation

Population Control: India India’s Population Control has had only moderate success Total fertility rate has been cut in half (from 6 to 3 children per woman) Improvements in sanitation, and famine and epidemic control meant quick population growth

Six Stages: 1. Clinic Approach 2-3. Target oriented sterilization (encouraging sterilization) 4. Coercive Approach (forced sterilization) 5. Backlash and Recovery 6. Reproductive and Child Health Approach

Population Control: India No attention to women in society, education levels, economic development and health.

Population Control: India Impact? 1. Distrust of sterilization and contraception Only used by a small percentage of the population

Population Control: India Impact? 2. Gender gap 113 to 129 males to 100 females (world average is 105 to 100) Preference of males Males stay to take after family - - females are married off (no old-age security in India) Infanticide (killing newborns) and high rates of abortions

Population Control: India Shortage of women in society Some evidence that girls are sold into marriage from poor families into rich families

Population Control: China One Child Policy: Strict but effective

Population Control: China Impacts: Gender gap 118 men to 100 women (in 2005) By million Chinese men will be unable to marry

China vs. India China more effective: India’s population will outgrow China by 2025

Chapter 6 Questions

Population Futures 3 factors affect the size of any population: 1. Total Fertility Rate 2. Life expectancy 3. Migration (immigration and emigration)

Population Futures Very difficult to accurate predict Example: 2050 Low Variant: 7.8 billion High Variant: billion Medium Variant: 9.2 billion

Population Futures Population growth in developing nations but in the core…. Core Population 2006 = 731 million 2050= low – 566 million Medium – 664 million High – 777 million

Population Futures Birth Dearth: the situation in a country where a low Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is causing the population to decline.

Population Futures Birth Dearth Implications: 1. Family Structures: Smaller families (1 child families) In a marriage who will look after parents (4 people) and grandparents (8 grandparents)?

Population Futures Birth Dearth Implications: 2. Aging Population More Old people Costs more money as a society

Population Futures Example: Pension - America in 1955 for each person collecting pension there were 9 people working - By 2030 only 2 people working per person collecting pension. - Effect: Higher taxes, larger national debt, people have to work longer

Population Futures Birth Dearth Implications: 3. Labor Shortages - Not enough people to fill important jobs - Increase in immigration - Racism towards migrants increases Problem: What if a country like China gets a decreasing population?

Population Futures Birth Dearth Implications: 4. Economic effects: economic growth and stability depends on need population decline means less demand.

Population futures Birth Dearth Implications 5. Shift in World Power UN Security Council was determined post- WWII What will the power balance be in the future?

Population futures Possible Benefits: Easier to educate everyone Carrying capacity might not be be a problem Better for environment (rich people use more resources)

Population Futures P.111 Questions 3. a),4. a), 5, 6, 10 a) b) c)

Population Futures Opinion Paper: By the end of the century, will Earth reach its carrying capacity?