Demography

Question 1

What are the reasons for a decline in childbirth ?

Answer 1

1) Changes in position of women
2) Fall in infant mortality rate - better healthcare
3) Children as an economic liability / no child labour & mandatory schooling makes raising a child expensive
4) Child centeredness / Childhood is socially constructed / glorified / need more attention

Question 2

What is the impact of a declining birth rate ?

Answer 2

• Dependency ratio increases
• Public services strained / fewer schools etc

Question 3

What are the reasons for a decline in death rate ?

Answer 3

• improved nutrition
• medical improvements
• public health improvements / better housing etc
• social change / less manual labour etc

Question 4

What are the reasons an aging population ?

Answer 4

1) Increased life expectancy
2) Low infant mortality rate
3) Declining fertility

Question 5

What is the impact of an aging population ?

Answer 5

1) increased strain on public services
2) More one-person households
3) rising dependency ratio

Question 6

What did Philipson ( Marxist ) say about an aging population ?

Answer 6

• Philipson - the old are no use to capitalism / they’re no longer productive / economically dependant group / adding to dependency ratio

Question 7

What did Hunt ( Postmodernist ) say about an aging population ?

Answer 7

• Hunt - age doesn’t determine who we are / as a result the elderly become a market for body maintenance

Question 8

What are the reasons for migration ?

Answer 8

1) Push factors - unemployment & economic recession
2) Pull factors - higher wages & better opportunities