demographic transition

Question 1

what were key demographic and socio-economic features of the world as it was understood by Malthus around 1800 look like

Answer 1

• population held in check:
  -Life expectancy: 27
  -TFR: 6.0
  -Postponement of marriage, first marriage was 25 (postponed childbirth)
  -Infant mortality was high
• Production and wages reacted strongly to changes in population due to war or famine
• Population Grew very Slowly in the pre-industrial world
• World was bifurcated into the Orient and Occident

Question 2

whats the Demographic transition theory

Answer 2

Developed by Frank Notestein in 1945
- Used to explain historical experiences in the Western World - why was it “more advanced” than the rest of the world? how applicable is it then to non-European countries?
- Used to explain the process of change from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates of a country from pre-industrial to an industrialized economy
- DTT links population growth with economic development - Rapid POP growth =/= rapid ECON growth

Question 3

what are the 4 phases of the Demographic transition theory

Answer 3

• phase 1 - High Fertility/ High Mortality - “Pre-Industrial Society” e.g. Pakistan, Samalia
• phase 2 - High Fertility/Declining Mortality
  “Developing Countries” e.g. Afghanistan, Laos
• phase 3 - Declining Fertility/Low Mortality - “Developed Countries” e.g. India, Bangladesh
• phase 4 - Low Fertility/Low Mortality - “Post-Industrial Society” e.g. US, South Korea
  **every country said to be 1 of 4 phases - cannot go backwards

Question 4

phase 1 of the Demographic transition theory explanation

Answer 4

Birth rate is high because of:
◦ Lack of family planning
◦ High infant mortality
◦ Need for agricultural workers
◦ Children as economic assets

Death rate is high because of:
◦ Disease
◦ Famine
◦ Lack of sanitation
◦ Lack of education
◦ Competition for food, such as rats
**slow population growth

Question 5

phase 2 of the Demographic transition theory explanation

Answer 5

birth rate still remains high

Declining death rate due to:
◦ Improved health care (vaccines)
◦ Improved sanitation
◦ Improved food production/storage
◦ Decreased infant mortality
**fast population growth

Question 6

phase 3 of the Demographic transition theory explanation

Answer 6

Declining Birth and Death rate due to:
◦ Family planning
◦ Lower infant mortality rate
◦ Mechanization of agriculture
◦ Increased stand of living
◦ Improved status of women
**still fast but slowing population growth

Question 7

phase 4 of the Demographic transition theory explanation

Answer 7

**slow population growth - modern time

Question 8

could there be phase 5 and why

Answer 8

possibility from natural decrease
- Rising Death Rate, Very Low Birth Rate, Modern Time
**population growth= negative

Question 9

what are the 4 Demographic transition theory assumptions

Answer 9

• Historical fertility rates were always high everywhere
• Historical mortality rates fell before fertility rates
• Pre-Industrial societies would/could not control their own fertility
• Western medical and contraceptives are the only way to control fertility
  **all wrong

Question 10

Demographic transition theory advantages

Answer 10

• Can be used as a predictor of population growth
• Can be used to shape population policy
• Can be used to characterize development stages:
   1st World, 2nd World, 3rd World
   Developed, Developing, Undeveloped
   Most Developed, Developing, Least Developed
   MDC, DC, LDC

Question 11

Demographic transition theory disadvantages

Answer 11

• Ignores Migration
• Assumes a ‘One Size Fits All’ development model
• Time scales are very different - 200+ years for the Global North, 50 years for the Global South
• It’s an “In the beginning…” model
• Privileges countries that have already “transitioned” - When does a country stop become developed?

Question 12

as a result of the Demographic transition theory, how do we categorise countries

Answer 12

Instead of 2 world – the orient and occident – we have 3 worlds – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world or Developed, Developing, and Less Developed

Question 13

2 main branches of policy in the Demographic transition theory

Answer 13

• Contraceptives are the best form of contraception - Neo-Malthusian in nature
• Development is the best form of contraception – education etc

Question 14

what are the similarities between both branches of policy in the Demographic transition theory

Answer 14

Both attempt to speed up Phase II of the Demographic Transition
- Contraception by reducing Fertility
- Development by reducing the time spent in Phase II