2. Learning Objectives To understand why population control is important. To be able to explain the positives and negatives of China’s anti-natalist ‘One Child Policy’ To understand why Singapore put in place a pro-natalist child policy.

3. Population Control – why? In pairs, discuss why population control is important. What are the issues associated with overpopulation or under population?

4. Population Control – why manage it? Overpopulation Housing shortages Lack of school places Overcrowding in major cities Strain on medical services Food shortages Lack of natural resources to cater for population High unemployment Under population High dependency ratio – ageing population. Not enough people for the jobs that there are. Economy can slow down The key is that the population is SUSTAINABLE – it doesn’t go beyond tipping point – population is SUSTAINABLE when resources and population are equally balanced – achieving this is the main aim for most governments.

5. China’s ‘One Child Policy’ Anti-natalist – trying to reduce the amount of babies being born (birth rate) Watch the following video clip on the ‘One Child Policy’ and take notes in the back of your books. We will produce a case study afterwards.

6. What is the policy about? Introduced 1970’s Couples not allowed to have more than one child. Couples with only one child given benefits – extra months salary per year till child is 14. Interest-free loans, retirement funds, cheap fertilizer, better housing, better health care, and priority in school enrollment. Women who delay marriage until after they are 25 receive benefits such as an extended maternity leave when they finally get pregnant. Couples who have more than one child can be fined. Nanny police – informers of couples having more than one child – forced to have an abortion. Can lose land, jobs and even face torture if found to have more than one child.

7. Why was it brought about? Very high growth rate of population from 1940 up to 1970. Pressure on land and food supplies due to large population. All of the issues that we have looked at regarding overpopulation.

8. The Effects Birth rate fell from 34/1000 in 1970 down to 13/1000 in 2008. Annual population growth rate fell from 2.4% to 0.6% in that time period. Population therefore is still increasing but at a much slower rate. Total population grew from 996 million in 1980 to 1.3 billion today. (Estimates reckon that the policy stopped 400 million births occurring). Chinese tradition to prefer sons – there was an increase in abortions and 120 males were being born for every 100 females. Shortage of women at marrying age. Lost Chinese girls – lots put up for adoption – orphanages packed with girls. Some girls were killed at birth. Lots of spoilt only children. Not as widespread now – in rural areas couples are allowed two children if first was a girl. Also if the couple are two only children that have grown up as part of the one child policy they can have 2 children to help with ageing populations in the large cities such as Shanghai.

9. This is a population pyramid for China in 2009. Can you see the effect of the One Child Policy? What problems are they going to face in the future?

10. Homework VLE Question I would like you to read the following article and using it and the notes you have taken today answer the following question. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia- pacific/7000931.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia- pacific/7000931.stm Using a named example, explain whether you think it has been a success or not.

11. Case Study: Estonia Pro-natalist policy: -They introduced what they called a ‘mother’s salary’ where women were paid to have children. -Included 15 months fully paid maternity leave.

12. Why? Estonia became independent from Russia in 1992. Falling population due to fertility rate (amount of children per woman) declining from 2.2 in 1988 to 1.4 in 1998. This is well below replacement level. People planning fewer children to increase in poverty, single lifestyles and young people (mainly men) migrating overseas to work.

13. Did it work? By 2006 the fertility rate had risen to 1.5 but this was still below replacement level. Problems run deeper, emigration of young males to Western European countries such as UK, Germany to gain more money has large consequences.