Topic 7 : Demography Flashcards
What is a population shaped by?
- Birth rate
- Fertility rate (number of children per woman)
- Infant mortality rate (number of child deaths)
- Mortality rate
- Net migration (people moving in minus people moving out)
- Life expectancy
Fertility rate in 1900 - 2010
3.5 children
1.94 children
Fertility rate in pre-industrial society
Fertility rate in pre industrial societies was high because:
Women had more children as they were an economic asset
Women had more children as there was a high infant mortality rate
Causes of declining fertility rates
- Contraception
- Compulsory education
- Rising costs of having children
- Changing position of women
- The decline in infant mortality rate
- A geographically mobile labour force
- Changing values
Causes of declining fertility rates - contraception
More effective
Safer and cheaper
Society’s attitudes moved from disapproval to acceptance - feminism + secularisation
Availability of safe and legal abortion since 1967
Family planning easier
Causes of declining fertility rates - compulsory education
Children no longer an economic asset, but a liability
Education opportunities = cost parents a lot
Causes of declining fertility rates - rising costs of having children
Aviva - cost of bringing up children is the main reason 20% of couples have 1 child
Average cost = £270,000 by the time they turn 21
Causes of declining fertility rates - changing position of women
Rise of feminism, more equal opportunities, priorities changing
Many who work and have children experience dual burden and tripe shift - puts them off having more children
Causes of declining fertility rates - declining infant mortality rate
No longer a need to have more children just because many of them die - better welfare state, medicine etc. has meant that the infant mortality rate is low
Causes of declining fertility rates - a geographically mobile labour force
Easier to move around the country / world to work with smaller families
Causes of declining fertility rates - changing values
Growing individualisation, feminism, reflectivity, consumer society
Positive effects of the declining fertility rate
- reduced burden of childcare has made it easier for women to stay in employment and progress their careers
Other effects of the declining fertility rate (on family structures)
Falling family size
Reduction of nuclear families
Increase in single person households
Smaller average household size
Negative effects of declining fertility rate
Increasing dependency ratio (ratio of those who are not working age to those of working age [children+elderly who depend on those who work])
Falling youth dependency ratio can be good for public finances and the economy in the short term (less children’s o support through tax), but in the long term it leads to a shortage of people of working age
Low birth rate leads to the rising average age of the population as the proportion of young people declines. As a result - elderly dependency ratio increases
Explanations for the declining death rate, IMR and increased life expectancy
Improved hygiene, sanitation and medicine:
Public hygiene has improved
1948 - NHS
Past diseases eliminated - cholera etc.
Tranter - 75% of the fall in death rate between 1850s and 1970s were due to a fall in deaths from disease
Higher living standards:
Higher wages, better food and housing conditions
The Marmot Review - showed a strong relationship between deprivation and mortality = low income and stress increase likelihood of premature death
Public health and welfare
Establishment of the NHS due to the beveridge report
Childbirth more safe
Clean air act
Improved working conditions:
Technology has taken over dangerous jobs
