TOPIC #2
RESEARCH GUIDE:
The United States should adopt a national policy towards population control.
Use the internet, your movie and class notes, and the Miller textbook to research the following questions (and
any more that may arise during your search). The following pages in the Miller textbook will be helpful:
Thailand’s population (p159), India’s population (p.176), China’s population (p.176-7); p163, 168, 174 – 177.
The rest of chapter 6 is enlightening. Skim it to see if you can use anything in your argument.
There are many points to consider on this topic. Both sides are capable of preparing a compelling argument.
However, your success will also be determined by your ability to intelligently respond to the opposition’s point
of view and counter their argument. The more specific examples you can provide, the stronger your argument.
Do not speak in generalities. Provide statistics.
1. Know your stats
 What is the current population of the US?
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What is the projected population for 2050?
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How quickly did we add our last 100 million people?
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What is the annual US growth rate?
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Is it increasing or decreasing from past years? Why?
2. General positives of population growth?
3. General negatives of population growth?
4. If the growth rate is decreased could the U.S. become a declining population? If it did, what are the ill
effects of a declining population?
5. How are population growth and economic growth related?
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Some scholars argue that “development is the best contraceptive.”
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What does the mean? Is it true for U.S?
6. How is population growth related to the environment?
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Does this support your position’s argument? How?
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Are there better alternative solutions to this problem than population control? What are they?
7. Why do/don’t we need population control in the U.S?
Provide evidence of other country’s population policies: specifically China, India, and Thailand. Be able to
include details of their policies to support your side. (Use the Miller text to help you out.)
8. China: What is their policy?

What is successful about it? /What is unsuccessful about it?
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What aspects can be implemented in the US? / What aspects cannot be implemented?
9. India: What is their policy?

What is successful about it? /What is unsuccessful about it?
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What aspects can be implemented? / What aspects cannot be implemented?
10. Thailand: What is their policy?
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What is successful about it? /What is unsuccessful about it?
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What aspects can be implemented? / What aspects cannot be implemented?
11. Consider how population control might affect the average citizen. Why would an average person be for
or against this?
12. It is unlikely that the U.S. can set a mandatory limit on the number of children families have.
 Affirmative Group: Develop a plan that uses other mechanisms and incentives to curb population
growth. Provide at least specific examples of how your plan works and how it will control
population. (Think about the opposition. What will they say?).

Negative Group: What are the various mechanisms and incentives that can be used to curb
population growth? Provide at least 2 specific examples and what is wrong with them. (Think about
the opposition. What things might they include in their plan and how can you counter their
argument?)
Investigate the other side:
What will the other side argue?
What will be their main points and examples?
What are the biggest problems with these points? How can you poke holes in their argument?