1. Population Control Policies from Around the World
Population part vi
Population Control Policies from Around the World

2. How do Governments Affect Population Change?
Many governments institute policies designed to influence the overall growth rate or ethnic ratios within the population.
These policies fall into three groups:
1. Expansive
2. Eugenic
3. Restrictive

3. Expansive Population Policies
Encourage families to have more children
Communist Societies
Soviet Union
China – Mao Zedong
Current Examples
European Examples-
Sweden-Cash payments, tax incentives, job leave, work hour flexibility lasting up to 8 years after birth
Russia-National Day of Conception (Sept. 12)
Romania-anyone, married or single, who was childless after the age of 25 was subject to a tax of 10-20% of income. For people who did have children, there were family allowances paid by the government and cash awards to women having their third child s: all women of childbearing age — even pubescent girls — were subject to monthly pelvic exams to detect pregnancies and ensure all of them were carried to term. 
Asian Examples-
South Korea-Family Day-third Thursday of every month
Singapore-National Night to get “Patriotic”

4. Eugenic Population Policies
Favoring one racial or cultural sector of the population over the others
Tax discrimination, allocation of resources, favoritism
Examples
Nazi Germany
Japan
USA-human race could be improved by breeding people with desirable traits, immigration policies on “undesirables” (Asian and Southern European); sterilizing undesirable Americans (mental defectives)-1970s; new view of eugenics-planned parenthood

5. Restrictive Population Policies
Reducing the rate of natural increase through a range of means
Examples
1) China’s “One-child” policy:
For those who follow-Income bonuses, Better health care benefits, Better retirement pensions, Priority in housing
For those who don’t-get abortions for unauthorized pregnancies, forced sterilization
2) India-some areas of high CBR/fertility are paying couples rupees ($106)
3) Uzbekistan-forced sterilizations after 2nd child, doctors were forced to do it and did so without woman’s knowledge
4) Pakistan-child spacing (3 years, Koran calls for 24 months of breast feeding
5) U.S.-Title X-US health centers fund contraceptives

6. Solutions to Population Growth
Empowerment of Women
$ for contraception & education
Changing cultural norms to value girls
Diffusion of Birth Control Policies
Educating men
w/ responsibility
for birth control
Sterilization

7. Solutions to Population Growth
Redistribution of wealth - improve standard of living for poor so that children aren’t as necessary
Improving farming techniques in poor areas to deal with starvation, malnourishment

8. Solutions to Population Growth
Medical technology – costs of maintaining
vulnerable populations (old & young)
Addressing government policies to deal with their growing populations

9. Something to think about…
Is population control funded by MDCs ethical in LDCs?
Population control v. culture
Birth control?
Sterilization?
Abortion?
Sex determination?
Incentives: Money, food, clothing?
Is population control funded by MDCs needed to keep mass amounts of people in the LDCs out of poverty?