Demography Flashcards
What is demography?
The study of population and their characteristics
What is the birth rate?
The number of live births per thousand of the population each year
When were the first 2 baby booms?
After both world wars. Returning servicemen started families that they had postponed during the war
When was the third baby boom?
1960s
What has the birth rate been doing?
Fluctuating- fell during 70s, rose during 80s,fell in the 90s and increased since 2001
Long term decline since 1900. In England and Wales in 1900 the birth rate was 28
By 2014 it is around 12
What are the factors determining birth rate?
The proportion of women at childbearing age
How fertile they are (how many children they have)
What is the total fertility rate?
The average number of children women will have during their fertile years
What is the fertility rate like?
Much lower than in the past
What do the changes in fertility and birth rate reflect?
More women are remaining childless than in the past
Women are postponing having children. Older women may be less fertile and have fewer fertile years remaining, and so they produce fewer children
How is changes in women’s position a reason for the declining birth rate?
Legal equality with men Increased educational opportunities for girls More women in paid employment Changes in attitudes to women's role Easier access to divorce Access to abortion and contraception
What does Harper note about changes in the position of women?
Education of women lead to a change in mindset, resulting in fewer children. See other possibilities in life. Choose to delay children for career
What is the infant mortality rate?
The number of infants who die before their first birthday, per thousand, per year
What does Harper argue about the fall in IMR as the reason for declining birth rate?
If many infants die, parents have more children to replace those they have lost, thereby increasing the birth rate. If infants die less then you will have less
What was the IMR in in 1900 and 2012?
154 and 4
Why did the IMR begin to fall?
Improved housing and bettter sanitation
Better nutrition
Better knowledge of hygiene, child welfare
A fall in the number of married women working
Improved services for mothers and children
How does children becoming and economic liability mean the birth rate has declined?
Children were economic assets because they could be sent to work. Now children have become a liability because of -
Laws banning child labour and making education compulsory
Changing norms about what children have a right to expect from their parents
As a result, parents now feel less able or willing to have a big family
How does childcenteredness cause the decline in birth rate?
Means childhood is constructed as an important period in an individuals life. This has encouraged a shift from quantity to quality so you can lavish more attention and resources on few
Why has there been a slight increase in births since 2001?
Increase in immigration with families that have a higher fertility rate
How has the family been affected by the declining birth rate?
Smaller families mean women are free to work, creating a dual earner couple.
How is the dependency ratio affected by the declining birth rate?
This is the relationship between the side of the working population and the size of the non working population
The earnings of the working population must be used to support the dependant population
A fall in children means the ‘burden of dependency’ is reduced