Demography

Question 1

Births (Reasons for decline in Birth Rate)

Answer 1

1. Changes in the position of women - Increased educational opportunities, more women in paid work, change in attitude towards family life and the women’s role, wider access to abortion and contraception.
2. Fall in infant mortality rate - improved housing, sanitation, nutrition, knowledge of hygiene and child health, improved technology, antibiotics.
3. Children as an economic liability - Laws banning child labour coupled with the introduction of compulsory schooling has meant children remain economically dependent for longer, changing norms about children’s right to a high standard of living raises their cost.
4. Child centredness - childhood is now socially constructed and uniquely important period of life, parents focus on quality not quantity, meaning they have fewer children but lavish more attention and resources on them.​

Question 2

Births (Impact of declining Birth Rate)

Answer 2

The dependency ratio increases - the relationship between the size of the working population and the non-working (dependent) population.

The working population’s earnings support the dependent population through tax.

Women are having fewer children because this reduces the ‘burden of dependency’.

Public services - fewer schools, child health services etc.

Question 3

Deaths (Reasons for a decline in Death Rate)

Answer 3

Improved nutrition

​Medical improvements (vaccinations, antibiotics, NHS)

Public health improvements (better housing, clean water, clean air)

Social change (decline in manual labour, greater knowledge of disease)

Question 4

Ageing Population (Reasons for an ageing population)

Answer 4

The average age in the UK is increasing because of:

Increased life expectancy
Low infant mortality rate
Declining fertility
​

Question 5

Ageing Population (Impact of an ageing population)

Answer 5

Increased strain on public services
More one-person households
The rising dependency ratio
Ageism

Question 6

Ageing Population (Philipson - Marxist)

Answer 6

The old are of no use to capitalism because they are no longer productive and an economically dependent group, adding to the dependency ratio.

Question 7

Ageing Population (Hunt - Postmodernist)

Answer 7

We can choose our identity no matter what our age is: our age no longer determines who we are. As a result of this, the elderly become a market for body maintenance and rejuvenation services and goods, such as cosmetic surgery, gym membership and anti-ageing products.

Question 8

Migration (Reasons for Migration)

Answer 8

Push factors - unemployment and economic recession

Pull factors - higher wages and better opportunities