Population Change Case Studies Flashcards
Why was the one child policy introduced?
During the 1970s the Chinese government realised that the country was heading for famine unless severe changes were made quickly. Changes to an industrial economy at the expense of farming had already caused a catastrophic famine from 1951 to 1961, with 35 million deaths. A baby boom followed and the population was growing too fast to be sustainable. The government stepped in to avoid another crisis. However, it’s methods have been considered to strict, even cruel.
What case study is used as an Anti natal Population policy?
China’s One child policy
Beginning in 1979, what did the one child policy say for each couple?
- Must not marry until their late 20s
- Must have only one successful pregnancy
- Must be sterilised after the first child or must abort any future pregnancies
- Would receive a 5 to 10 per cent salary rise for limiting their child to one family.
- Would have priority housing, pension and family benefits, including free education for the single child.
What were the punishments for having a second child?
- A 10 per cent salary cut was enforced
- The fine imposed was so large it would bankrupt many households
- The family would have to pay for the education of both children and for health care for all the family
- Second children born abroad are not penalised, but they are not allowed to become Chinese citizens.
What were the problems with the one child policy?
- Women were forced to have abortions as late as nine months of pregnancy
- Women were placed under tremendous pressure from their own families, workmates, the ‘Granny Police’ and their own conscious and feelings
- Local officials and central government had power over people’s private lives
- Chinese society prefers sons over daughters. Some girls were placed in orphanage or allowed to die in hope of having a son the second time round
- The policy was also difficult to enforce in rural areas, where it was traditional to have larger families.
What were the benefits of the one child policy?
- Chinese children were looked after very well as parents could only have one making them more precious. However they have the reputation of being over indulged. (Nickname ‘little emperors’)
- Famine never happened
- Population growth has decreased sufficiently for people to have enough food and jobs (Estimated 400 million fewer babies have been born)
- As people had more money they were able to buy more technology, which improved the standard of life for many.
Case study for what alternate control programmes exist?
Transmigration in Indonesia
Background information for Indonesia
Indonesia is a rapidly developing country in the South-East Asia. It has a group of around 17,500 islands, two of the largest being Sumatra and Java. With a population of about 240 million, it is the 4th most populous country in the world. The population is growing at a rate of 18.1 per 1000 (2011) and the death rate at a very low 6.3 per 1000 (2011). Indonesia is at a stage 3 on the demographic transition model.
What did the transmigration policy aim to do?
The population in Indonesia is decreasing however in the 1950s and 60s, the population was growing rapidly on the islands of Java, Bali and Madura which were in danger of becoming overly populated. This occurs when there are not enough resources for everyone. Therefore in 1969, in an attempt to re-distribute the population, Indonesian government embarked on an ambitious project called transmigration. This policy encouraged people living in overly populated islands, like Java, to move to less densely populated outer islands, so that they would be able to decrease the population per square km by moving them onto other Indonesian islands.
What policies did Indonesia use to decrease there population?
Transmigration and Industrialisation
How did the Indonesian government persuade people to move?
Transmigration gave people the chance for people to escape from the poverty of overcrowded urban slums to become land owners elsewhere and earn money through farming.
Where did people move from? And the numbers involved?
People transmigrated from Java, Bali, Madura and Sumatra to remote islands such as West Papua (Irian Jaya). Between 1979 and 1984, more than 2.5 million were involved and in total over a million people have resulted in West Papua (Irian Jaya) alone.
Why have they scaled down the programme?
Financed by the world bank and Asian Development bank, transmigration continued through the 1980s but recent financial difficulties and change in government have to the policy be scaled down.
What are the recent developments of the transmigration policy?
In 2006, an estimated 20,000 families took advantage of the transmigration programme, supported by the department of man power and transmigration. By 2010, there were about 250,000 families who wanted to move, however the government was only able to sponsor 10,000 families.
Following the eruption of mount Merapi in 2010, the government offered to relocate tens of thousands to Kalimantan. By 2011, some 2,000 families had taken up the offer encouraged by free transport and the promise of two hectares of land and living costs for six moths.
What were the economic effects of the transmigration policy?
- Rather than reducing poverty, it has been suggested that transmigration just re-distributed poverty.
- Many new migrants lacked the necessary farming skills to make productive use of their new land and some abandoned their homes to become refugees.
- Settlements were often poorly planned, with few shops, roads and services such as water, sanitation and electricity.
- Re-settlement was extremely expensive, costing $7,000 per family in the 1980s
