Population Trends: Age Flashcards
1
Q
Population growth trends
A
- After 1950s: reduced infant and adult mortality = rapid population growth and increased fertility
- Between 1995 and 2025: fertility rates must stabilise within this period to avoid another baby boom.
- Since 1990s: high life expectancy, below-replacement fertility and an ageing population.
2
Q
Historic and cultural factors affecting China’s population (in terms of birth rates/ageing population)
A
- Universal and early marriage for girls = high birth rates
- Lack of resources has led to infanticide - In the 18th century, famines and epidemics had a major impact on births and deaths
- Lack of support when having children (too expensive)
3
Q
Causes of an ageing population
A
- The one child policy (reduced fertility and birth rates)
- Life expectancy has almost doubled in the last 50 year (due to improved medical and social care services)
- Post war baby boom
4
Q
Post war baby boom
A
- In 1949 Mao Zedong became the new Chinese leader
- He encouraged people to have large families to provide workers to develop the industries and encourage economic growth.
- These children are now reaching old age and are adding to the numbers of elderly people.
5
Q
Impacts of an ageing population
A
- 4-2-1 situation
- Pensions and paying bills
- Family issues (filial piety)
- Lack of labour
- More support needed to be provided
6
Q
Ageing population (4-2-1)
A
- Too many dependent old people, children are assuming substantial responsibilities for their parents (4-2-1) and children will simply be unable to fulfil their social obligations.
- Financial and emotional burden
7
Q
Ageing population (pensions)
A
- Pensions not as good as Western countries. If you moved to another region, you could lose your pension rights
- Many people were not entitled to any financial support on retirement e.g poor farm workers
- Currently about 60% of the elderly receive a regular monthly pension
- As retirement becomes longer, people have to accumulate wealth or face a reduction in their standard of living in old age.
8
Q
Ageing population (filial piety)
A
- Reasons for poor pensions is that children are expected to care for elderly parents
- However, as young people are moving from their birthplace to work in the factories and big cities, this has become difficult.
- Parents whose only child is a daughter may feel particularly vulnerable, since once married, the daughter will move away and join her husband’s family.
9
Q
Ageing population statistic (filial piety)
A
- In 1990, 70% of elderly people lived with their children but by 2006 only 40% did
- In 2013 the government passed a law called the ‘Protection of the Rights and Interests of Elderly People’, which has made it possible for parents to sue their children for ‘neglect’ if they want to do so
10
Q
Ageing population (workforce)
A
the no. of people in this working age group is falling so
- industries may need to pay higher wages if labour is more scarce
- automation may need to be increased
- elderly or part-time workers will become more important in the workforce
- workers will need higher wages if they are expected to pay into pension schemes
11
Q
Ageing population (providing healthcare)
A
Elderly people generally have more physical and health problems than other people, need more day-to-day care and require special residential accommodation.
12
Q
China’s response to the ageing population
A
- providing 3 million beds under China’s 11th Five Year Plan - there will then be 30 beds: 1000 elderly people
- trying to ensure basic healthcare and social care provision for the elderly in all urban areas and 1/2 the rural areas by the end of 2015
- building private developments (retirement villages and care homes) so far these have tended to be for the richer urban dwellers who can afford them
13
Q
Current ageing population statistics
A
- In 1989, 5% of population aged 65+
- Number of people in retirement will have increased from one in twenty to one in four
- By 2040, over 60s could = more than 28% of total population (WHO)
14
Q
Positive demographic dividend
A
- where there are more people of productive age and a low dependency ratio
(This brings an increase in the growth rate of income per capita as dependents consume the production of productive population)
15
Q
Negative demographic dividend
A
- where fewer people have to provide for more dependents e.g retirement
- This decreases the growth rate of income per capita
- High level of dependent children, or of elderly who do not work meaning that the country consumes more than it produces
