Births

Question 1

Birth rate: 1900 vs now

Exceptions?

Answer 1

1900: 28.7
2014: 12.2

Baby booms after both WWs

Question 2

Reasons for the decline in birth rate: changes to women’s position

Answer 2

Harper- education of women is the most important reason for the decline in birth rates because educated women are more likely to delay childbearing.

E.g. in 2012, 1 in 5 women aged 45 were childless (double what it was 25 years ago)

Question 3

Reasons for the decline in birth rate: decline in infant mortality rate (IMR)

And why is it falling?

Answer 3

If many infants die, parents have more children to replace the children they have lost. The opposite is true it the IMR falls.

Improved sanitation, better nutrition (includes mother) improved postnatal clinics

Question 4

Reasons for the decline in birth rate: children are an economic liability

Answer 4

In the C19th children could earn money for their parents but laws banning this as well as changing norms mean that this is no longer possible

Question 5

Reasons for the decline in birth rate: childcentredness

Answer 5

Childhood is now uniquely important. And a shift from quantity to quality means that you spend more time/ resources on each child

Question 6

Effects of changing fertility: family

Answer 6

Women are more likely to be able to go to work, creating a dual earner couple

Question 7

Effects of changing fertility: dependency ratio

Answer 7

Temporarily reduces the dependency ratio

Long term- fewer babies being born means fewer economically independent, causing an increase in the burden of dependency

Question 8

Effects of changing fertility: public services

Answer 8

Fewer schools and maternity services needed

Ageing population