Government Sponsored Population Control
Historically, population control has not been a main concern. Before medical technologies and safety standards developed, high death rates were wiping out populations faster than the birthrates could counteract. However, in today's world, where medicine, hygiene and safety has improved greatly, the infant mortality rate is lower and the average lifespan of individuals is longer. That being said, the world is now "overpopulated" as it has a population of which the food supply, work economy, and housing units cannot sustain. In order to combat this overpopulation, many countries have instilled population control methods, as listed below.
Voluntary Population Control
Compulsory Population Control
Example: In China, the government enforces a "one child" policy. Under this policy, families are required to have only one child. If they do not abide by this policy, they are penalized. Penalties include a denial of a paid maternity leave, loss of income tax allowance, diminished access to public housing, increased maternity costs, and a lower likelihood of children entering a good school.
Voluntary Population Control
- commonly known as "family planning"
- Government's who support this method provide couples with services/info to help them have only their planned number of children
- Policies may include distributing birth control, or providing family planning classes to the public
Compulsory Population Control
- Government policies provide enforce a rewards and punishment system in order to make families cooperate
- Incentives for having less children include larger retirement pensions, preference in housing, school admission for children, and employment
- consequences include higher taxes on each child, as well as receiving no financial aid on medical and educational costs for each child they have
Example: In China, the government enforces a "one child" policy. Under this policy, families are required to have only one child. If they do not abide by this policy, they are penalized. Penalties include a denial of a paid maternity leave, loss of income tax allowance, diminished access to public housing, increased maternity costs, and a lower likelihood of children entering a good school.