Demographic changes/trends Flashcards
Birth rate definition
The number of live births per 1000 of the population per annum
Fertility rate definition
The number of live births per 1000 women aged 15-44 per annum
Death rate definition
The number of deaths per 1000 of the population per annum
Migration
The number of people entering the UK (immigration) and the number leaving the UK (emigration)
Population growth
2004 - 60 million
2023 - 65 million (estimated)
Reasons for population growth
1950/1906s - more births than deaths (natural change)
1980s+ - immigration has exceeded migration (now accounts for 54% for the increase in the UK population)
Changes in the birth rate (Since WW1)
2004 - 34% fewer births than 1901 and 21% than 1971
Birth rate has fluctuated in last 100 years:
- Fall in WW1
-Baby boom after, 1.1 million in 1920
-Decline in WW2
-Baby boom after
-Increase in 1980s/1990s when baby boom born reached childrearing age
-Steadily risen since 2001, height in 2006
Reasons for decline in birth rate
A major decline in the infant mortality rate - parents did not need more children to ensure a few survived, health care and sanitation
Increase in living standards - children become expensive
Changing social attitudes towards women - more women became career orientated and choose to have fewer children
Change in fertility rate
Declined in last 100 years
1900 - 115 live births per 1000 women
2010 - 64 per 1000
Term Total fertility rate - number of children being born to an average women in her childbearing life
1900 - 3.5 children
2012 - 1.94
Women are having children later. Fertility rates for over 30 have increased, decreased for under
Average age of a married women giving birth has increased to 30 years old
Changes in fertility rate reasons
- Reliable birth control - contraceptive pill (1961), giving women control (prescribed to single women by 1974)
70% of women have used the pill at some point in their lives. 2014 - 2 million on the pill - Feminisation of the economy - choosing to have children later or none at all, pursuing careers
- Change in attitudes - Wilkinson (1994) - ‘gender quake’ to describe differences in attitudes in women brought up in 1980 to now, childbearing no longer seen as a priority. Equal Opportunities Act - increased no of women in uni
Impact of decrease in fertility rate
Dual earner families
- Full-time mums have declined, couples share childcare with paid work. Over 60% of families
Two types:
1. Professional couples committed to work - have children when carriers established, afford childcare. Responsible for rise in fertility for over 40s
2. More common type - husband works major share of family income ad wife works part time, responsible for childcare and housework
Voluntary childlessness
1 in 5 women choose to remain childless, expected to double in next 20 years
2000 - 1 in 5 women aged 40 had not had children compared to 1 in 10 in 1980
Hakim (2010) - argue that voluntary childlessness is a new lifestyle choice, deciding to not have children can lead to social disapproval and pressure
Gillespie (200) - two motivational factors for childlessness:
1. ‘Pull’ factor to being child-free, increased freedom and better relationships. Studies show couples are happier without children
2. Push factor away from childhood. Park (2005) pushed away from motherhood as it conflicts with career or leisure interests
Brith outside of marriage
NR - disturbed by 1 in 3 babies being born outside of marriage. UK has highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe
NR claim teenagers get pregnant on purpose to claim state benefits, but only 3% of unmarried mothers and teenagers and most live at home with parents
4 out of 5 births outside of a marriage are registered to both parents,, 3/4 live at the same address. Birth outside of marriage is mostly due to cohabiting couples. Significant number of marriages break up in the first 1 year of having children, suggesting that marriage is not as stable as NR claim
