Demography Flashcards
What changes have happened to births over the years?
There has been a long-term decline in births since 1900. In that year, England had a birth rate of 28.7, but by 2014 it had fallen to an estimated 12.2.
However there has been three baby booms in the 20th century. Two of which were directly after wars, at a time servicemen and their partners started families after they had been postponed due to war.
How has the fertility rate changed over time?
The UK’s TFR has risen in recent years, but is much lower than it was in the past. For an all time low of 1.63 children per women in 2001, it rose to 1.83 by 2014. However it is far lower than the peak of 2.96 children over women reached in 1964 during the 1960s baby boom.
These changes are due to more women remaining childless, and women postponing having children to 30, so parents are only have to squeeze a few batches out before infertility issues start to emerge.
What are the reasons for a decline in birth rate?
Changing positions of women, Decline in infant mortality rate, Children are now economic liabilities, child centredness.
How did the changing positions of women contribute to the declining birth rate?
Women are now legally equal to men and have lots of protections, as well as access to contraceptives.
Harper (2012), the education of women is the most important reason for long-term fall in birth and fertility rates. IT has led to a change in mind-set among women, resulting in fewer children. Educated women are more likely to use family planning, many choose to delay child bearing or not have children at all.
How did the decline in infant mortality rate contribute to the declining birth rate?
Harper argues that fall in IMR rates leads to fall in birth rate. This is because, if many infants die, parents have more children to replace those they may loss, thereby increasing birth rate as well as guarantee the survival of at least one child.
During the 20th century, infant morality rate decreased. This is due to improved housing, healthcare, nutrition, hygiene and improvement of mother and child services.
Mass immunisation against childhood in diseases in the 50s is also a major contributor.
As a result of these developments in 2012 the infant mortality rate stood at 4 - barely one fortieth of its 1900s figure.
How did children become an economic liability, and how did this contribute to the declining birth rate?
Up until the late 19th century children were considered economic assets as parents can send them off to do work. They gradually became an economic liability.
.Laws banning child labour and introducing compulsory schooling made children become more dependent on parents
.Changing norms about what children have a right to expect from their parents in material terms meant that the cost of bringing up children increased
Due to financial pressures, many feel unable to have a large family.
How did society becoming more child centred contribute to the declining birth rate?
Due to increasing child centredness in both family and society as a whole means that childhood is now socially constructed as a uniquely important period in the individual’s life. In terms of family size, this has encourage a shift from “quantity” to “quality” - parents now have fewer children to lavish more attention and resources to these few.
What is the dependency ratio? What is it effected by?
Dependency ratio is the relationship between the size of working or productive part of the population and the size of the non-working or dependent part of the population.
The earning, saving and taxes from the working population must support the dependent population. Children make up a large part of the dependent ratio, so fall in children reduced the ‘burden of dependency’.
However in long term fewer babies will lead to fewer young adults to support the ever growing ageing population, causing an increase in the dependency ratio.
What are the reasons for the decline in death rates?
Improved nutrition, Medical improvements, Smoking and diet, public health measures and other social changes.
How has improved nutrition contributed to the decline in death rates?
Thomas McKeown (1972) argues that improved nutrition accounted for up to half the reduction in death rates, and was particularly important in reducing the number of deaths from TB. Better nutrition increases resistance to infection and increase survival changes to those infected.
McKneown can be evaluated as he fails to explain why women have a higher life expectancy even though they receive the same share at dinner.
Also infectious diseases rose at a time of improved nutrition so that contradicts what he says.
How did medical improvements contribute to the decline in death rates?
Before the 1950s, medical improvements played almost no part in reduction of deaths from diseases.
Post 1950s, improved medical knowledge and techniques did help reduce death rates. Advances include the introduction of antibiotics, immunisation, blood transfusion, improved maternity service, as well as the national health service being set up in 1948.
