Types of Population
Policies
Pro-natalist / Expansive
Anti-natalist / Restrictive
U.S.S.R. - pro-natalist
Starting on July 8, 1944 the
government of the
U.S.S.R. began awarding
medals to women in order
to encourage a high fertility
rate.
Why did the government
believe there was a need for a
pro-natalist policy at this time ?
Motherhood Medal
5 children
2nd Class
8,000,000 awarded
Motherhood Medal
6 children
1st Class
4,000,000 awarded
Order of Maternal Glory 3rd Class
7 children
2,000,000 awarded
Order of Maternal Glory 2nd Class
8 children
1,000,000 awarded
Order of Maternal Glory 1st Class
9 children
500,000 awarded
Order Mother Heroine
10 children
200,000 awarded
Germany
Cross of Honor of the German Mother
(Ehrenkreuz der deutschen Mutter)
http://www.nobeliefs.com/mementoes.htm
1938 - 1944
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-medals/nazi2.htm
Bronze 3rd Class Mother’s Nazi Cross 4, 5
Silver 2nd Class Mother’s Nazi Cross 6, 7
Gold 1st Class Mother’s Nazi Cross 8 or more
Diamond – 14 or more
China - anti-natalist
One Child Policy
1979
- rewards start once 1 child contract is signed
Rewards
Penalties
•free medical care
•free daycare and
schooling
•guaranteed job for child
•bonuses for parents
•extra maternity leave
•better housing
•bigger old age pension
•must repay financial
benefits
•educational, medical
benefits, & guaranteed
jobs are withdrawn
•parents’ wages reduced
Millions of dollars have been spent on
education and on advertising.
http://www.iisg.nl/~landsberger/pop1.html
http://www.iisg.nl/~landsberger/pop1.html
http://www.iisg.nl/~landsberger/pop.html
http://www.iisg.nl/~landsberger/pop.html
http://www.iisg.nl/~landsberger/pop.html
Do a good job in family planning to promote economic development
The anti-natalist policies worked so well,
now China is promoting births again
http://static.flickr.com/56/133361262_16edfe9ada_m.jpg
Bolivia
http://info.k4health.org/pr/j50/p5.jpg
Ethiopia
Vietnam: Two children are enough!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/3150039863_cb3ba3359d.jpg?v=0
Why do you believe that most
posters show a girl rather than a boy ?
What do you notice about this population pyramid? Note two things.
India
Wait until the
1st child is 3
before having
your 2nd
www.ecoworld.com/waters/indias-population.html
What do you notice about India’s
pyramid?
Egypt
United States
Why would a country want an
anti-natalist policy ?
http://www.upiasia.com/thumbnails/63232c7d88b2a81dfa3c881741f3ac7a.jpg
Thomas Malthus (1766-1834)
Current world population: 7.1
billion
From Plan B 2.0
• Per capita income in China will equal that of the US
by 2031 if China’s economy grows at current pace.
• With a projected population of 1.4 billion at the
time, a China as prosperous as the US would:
– Burn 99 million barrels of oil a day, 18% more
than is now produced globally
– Consume 2/3 of world’s current grain harvest
– Use twice as much paper as the world currently
produces
– Drive 1.1 billion cars, more than the world’s
2005 fleet of 800 million--forcing China to pave
roads, highways, and parking lots equal to the
area it now plants in rice.
Why would a country want
a pro-natalist policy ?
http://www.aishbaltimore.com/zz/family/rebbitzen/The_Joys_of_A_Large_Family.asp
http://www.imb.org/southern-africa/images/Malagasy_children.jpg
Problem is not resources, but
allocation of resources…
Costs of Population Decline/Aging
Population:
1. Dependency ratio, currently 3:1, will
become 1.5:1 by 2050.
Costs of Population Decline/Aging
Population:
2. ‘Graying Means Paying’: the rise of the
‘old,old’ (85+ yrs old) will require
care…Expensive care. Who will pay?
Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland already
on verge of bankruptcy.
Costs of Population Decline/Aging
Population:
3. In Germany, foreign workers (mostly
Turkish) will constitute 30% of population.
What problems might that entail?
Costs of Population Decline/Aging
Population:
4. Fewer soldiers. Thus, ignore some
international problems, over-react to others.
In recent years China has relaxed the
rules, and in some cases have even
started encouraging two children.
In many cases, parents are not taking
advantage of this opportunity.
Why ?
Quebec - Pro-natalist
1950’s - one of the highest Fertility Rates in the
developed world (Catholic & rural)
1987 - FR of 1.4 (1.7 Canada) & Quebec’s share
of Canadian population was decreasing
1987
1st set of incentives
•$500 for each of 1st 2 children
•$3000 for each subsequent child
•child care facilities improved & expanded
•tax free family allowance if 2 or more
children
•interest free housing loans (up to $7000)
1992
2nd set of incentives
•$500 for 1st child
•$1000 for 2nd child
•$6000 for each subsequent child
•other benefits remained the same
1997
Program ended after 10 yrs. of minimal success
Greek debt crisis: Retirement age
58