Topic 7 Demography Flashcards
how much has the birth rate fallen since 1901 to 2014?
The birth rate in the UK has fallen from 28.7 million in 1901 to an estimated 12.2 million in 2014
What are the reasons for a decline in birth rate?
- Changes in the position of women
- Decline in the infant mortality rate
- children becoming an economic liability
- Child-centredness
Why has the changes in the position of women caused a decline in birth rate?
women have increased educational opportunities and there are more women in paid employment. There have been changes in attitudes regarding family life and women’s role within it. They now see other possibilities in life outside of being a mother and a family.
How has the decline in the infant mortality rate caused a decline in birth rates?
If the infant mortality rate is low, and more infants are surviving, parents will have less briths.
How has children becoming an economic liability caused a decline in birth rates?
Until the 19th century, children were economic assets for their children. This has now changed and children are becoming more and more costly. Because of this, parents cannot afford to have lots of children, therefore decide to keep their family small with less children. There are also changing norms of what is expected of what children can have from their parents in material terms, which means the cost of children has risen.
How has child-centredness caused a decline in birth rates?
There has been a shift from quantity to quality as childhood is now socially constructed as a important period. Parents are now having fewer children and lavish the ones they do have.
Who makes up the dependent part of the population?
The non-working population
What are both the short and long term impacts on the dependency ratio when the number of babies being born falls?
short term:
less schools/ maternity hospitals and a reduction in the ‘dependency burden’.
long term:
there will be fewer working adults
How does ‘vanishing children’ impact on childhood?
less children and siblings in the family means that the child feels lonelier. However, the family will be more child-centred and the child will be more lavished.
How has the death rate changed from 1900 to 2012?
In 1900 it was 19 whereas in 2012 it had more than halved to 8.9
What reasons are there for death rates decreasing?
- improved nutrition
- medical improvements
- smoking and diet
- public health
- other social changes
How has improved nutrition caused a decrease in death rates?
- Mckeowen argues that improved nutrition has accounted for up to half the reduction in death rates.
- reduced the number of deaths from tuberculosis
- Better nutrition increased the survival chances of those who became infected
How has medical improvements caused a decrease in death rates?
- after the 1950s, improved medical knowledge, technique and organisation did help to reduce death rates
- improved medication like by pass surgery have reduced deaths from heart disease by 1/3
- advances like blood transfusions and improved maternity services
How has smoking and diet caused a decrease in death rates?
- reduction in number of people smoking
- obesity has now replaced smoking as the new lifestyle epidemic
- although obesity has drastically increased, deaths from obesity are low
How have public health issues caused a decrease in death rates?
- in the 20th century, more effective central and local government with the power to enforce laws led to a range of improvements in public health and quality of the environment.
- improvements in housing, water, sewage disposal
- the clean air acts reduced air pollution
How have other social changes caused a decrease in death rates?
- decline in dangerous manual occupations like mining
- smaller family sizes reduce the rate of transmission of infections
- greater public knowledge about the cause of illness
- lifestyle changes
- higher incomes allowing for healthier lifestyles
What are the effects of an ageing population on public services?
the demand for health and social care services increases particularly age 75+ but many older adults are in good health.
What do marxists say about death rates?
higher death rates amongst working class due to poor working conditions and higher stress levels, whilst making money for the rich
What are the effects an ageing population by having one person households?
More pensioners living in houses alone leads to a housing shortage for families.
What are the effects of the ageing population on the dependency ratio?
The dependency ratio will increase because the number of dependent people increase. However, policies have been put in place to decrease the dependency ration, such as raising the age at which you can draw your pension and raising retirement age. It is also offset by a reduction in the younger people who need to be provided for.
Is ageing a problem?
YES
- strain on services
- one person households
-burden on the family
NO
- age is socially constructed and society makes it a problem through negative stereotyping
- older adults are wise and have more experience
- - can help with childcare
- many older adults have active lifestyles
According to Hirsch, what are solutions to ageism?
- financing a longer old age can be done through paying more from savings and in tax whilst working
- raising the retirement age
- encouraging older people to ‘trade down’ for example, the bedroom tax
What do Marxists argue about ageism?
Ageism is a result of ‘structured dependency’.
The old are largely excluded from paid work, leaving them economically dependent on their families or the state.
Compulsory retirement means they are stigmatised.
Phillipson argues that the old are of no use to capitalism because they are no longer productive
What do postmodernists say about ageism?
Postmodernists argue that fixed orderly life stages have broken down. Trends such as children dressing in adult styles, early retirement and later marriage all blur the boundaries between different life stages. Individuals now have greater choices, whatever their age.
