Are birth rates and family size decreasing Flashcards
yes- changes in women attitudes
INCREASED EQUALITY WITH MEN, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, CHANGES IN SOCIAL ATTITUDES, DIVORCE, ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTION ALL GIVE WOMEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE
IF AND WHEN TO HAVE CHILDREN. HARPER – ARGUES EDUCATION IS THE MAIN FACTOR AS EDUCATED WOMEN PRIORITISE THEIR CAREERS, ARE MORE LIKELY TO USE CONTRACEPTION AND CHOOSE CHILDLESSNESS. THIS IS CHANGING SOCIAL ATTITUDES AS SMALLER FAMILIES ARE BECOMING THE NORM. This then creates dual worker families as they have fewer kids to worry about so they choose to stay in employment. +C= many e/m live in larger families such as south asians who typically live in extended families are e/m are less likely to use contraception due to religious beliefs
yes- children are an economic liability
UNTIL THE 19TH CENTURY CHILDREN WERE AN ECONOMIC ASSET – THEY WORKED AND CONTRIBUTED FINANCIALLY TO FAMILY INCOME. THEN, LAWS WERE INTRODUCED BANNING CHILDREN FROM WORKING AND INTRODUCING COMPULSORY EDUCATION. THERE WAS ALSO A CHANGE IN SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND CHANGE IN SOCIAL NORMS WHEREBY PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. AS A RESULT, PARENTS FEEL LESS WILLING TO HAVE MANY CHILDREN. This creates smaller families as parents as some parents can’t afford to have more than two children however this is positive for children as it creates child centredness. Aries and Shorter argue that it’s about quality over quantity. Parents will tend to invest emotionally and financially for that one child.+C= in some countries children are actually seen as an economic asset for example Punch found in Bolivia children start working from the age of 5. For these countries the birth rates tend to be high as it allows children to support the family financially through work rather than being an economic liability
yes- decline in infant mortality rate
IT’S THE NUMBER OF BABIES WHO DIE
BEFORE THEIR 1ST BIRTHDAY PER 1000 LIVE BIRTHS PER YEAR. IN 1900 IT WAS 154 / 1000. TODAY, IT IS 4 / 1000. THIS IS A RESULT OF IMPROVED HOUSING AND SANITATION, BETTER NUTRITION, BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF HYGIENE, INTRODUCTION OF MEDICAL SERVICES SUCH AS POSTNATAL CLINICS, IMMUNISATION, ANTIBIOTICS.
THIS IS CAUSING THE FALL IN THE BIRTH RATE AS PEOPLE KNOW THE CHILDREN THEY HAVE WILL SURVIVE.+C= Qvotrup argues that due to the fall in birth rates childhood becomes a lonely and isolated time as there are fewer children in families and neighbourhoods
yes-women choosing to have children in later years
Women are now postponing having children. The average age to give birth to a child is 30 and the fertility rate of women has increased in their 30s and 40s. However, by choosing to have children later on means that family size decreases as older women may be less fertile and have fewer fertile years remaining and so they produce less children.+C= Women can still use things like IVF if they become infertile and have children that way. Some may choose to adopt. However this only applies to m/c families as IVF can be expensive.
No - increase in migration
Mothers outside the UK tend to have higher fertility rates than those born in the UK. Babies born from mothers outside the Uk account for 25% of all births. +c= due to the feminisation of migration women tend to migrate because of low employment opportunities in their own country so when they come to the UK they might be more focused on their career rather than having children
define birth rate and family size
Birth rates= the number of live births per 1000 people per year.
Family size=refers to the average number of children per household.
