Population and resources Flashcards
why was the one child policy introduced
to avoid a Malthusian type disaster
population growth = unsustainable
citizens were encouraged to have less children
however! population growth still overwhelming
give facts and figures of the population boom in China
1950: 1.9% increase per year
1959:avg family =7.5 children
ppl were encourage to have more children bc larger workforce
describe the effectiveness
1979-2011: prevents more than 400 million births
rate of population change was 0.7%
fertility rate went down to 1.56
cities - policy was rigidly enforced
but wealthier city dwellers have more children and pay a fine
more Chinese are getting richer:9.7% increase of disposable income
describe the implications
traditional preference for boys, large amount of females homeless or in orphanages
2000: 90% foetuses aborted we’re female
gender imbalance: men > women 60 million
baby hatch service for abandoned babies
esp babies with illnesses eg cerebral palsy
10000 babies are abandoned per yr
in Guangzhou: 260 babies in 6 weeks
women forced abortions and sterilisations
336 million abortions since policy started
linked to high suicide rates 500 suicides per day in 2009
outline the long term implications of the policy
an ageist population
2050 1/4 population would be 65>
2010-2050 workforce will decrease by 11%
China’s dependency ratio 42%
give some reasons for the low birth rate in France
in the 18th century there were late marriages
20th the world wars and the 1919 influenza epidemic
why was the anti natal policy introduced
low fertility rate 1992 1.67 (below replacement level)
by 2050 1/3 population over 60
costing government over 12.9€ in healthcare
decrease in labour 55% dependency ratio
more pensions less taxes
Europeans used to early retirement 60% between 50-65% are working
give reasons why there is a declining birth rate
because working women 81% are employed
later marriages
education and awareness of contraception
outline the policy
Mather stay off work 1 yr after 3 child cash £675 monthly
large family card reduction in train fares and 30% reduction on public transport
3 year parental leave for either parent
subsidized daycare for children <3 years
building of new flats
describe the effectiveness of the policy
1940-1965 baby boom (14 mil births 9 mil deaths )
2050 UN estimate that population will be 69.8 mil
1992-today : fertility rate from 1.62 to 1.98
still under replacement level but rising
give problems of the policy
in 2050 the population will be 69.8 mill but will be below the goal of 75 mill
huge costs of billions of euros
France GDP 7.5 budget deficit
if policy fails bankrupt in addition to paying social care
FR unlikely to increase because view of modern women hard to change
