Chapter 2 Key Issue 3

demographic transition

a process of change in a society's population from high crude birth and death rates and low rate of natural increase to a condition of low crude birth and death rates, low rate of natural increase, and higher total population

How many stages are in the demographic transition?

4

Stage 1: Low Growth characterisitcs

very high birth and death rates result in no long-term natural increase; people depend on hunting and gathering

How many countries are in stage 1?

None, all have moved on to at least stage 2

Stage 2: High Growth characteristics

rapidly declining death rates and very high birth rate result in very high natural increase

When and why did Europe and North America enter stage 2?

After 1750, because of the Industrial Revolution, which with wealth communities were more healthy to live in

When and why did Africa, Asia, and Latin America enter stage 2?

In the ending of the twentieth century, because of the medical revolution, which helped people live longer, healthier lives

Stage 3: Decreasing Growth characteristics

birth rates rapidly decline, death rates continue to decline, resulting to a moderate natural increase rate

When does a country move from stage 2 to stage 3?

when the gap between CBR and CDR narrows, but CBR is still greater than CDR so the population is increasing

Why do people start to have less children in stage 3?

people tend to start living in cities, so having a large family would be more expensive and not as helpful as on a farm

When did Europe and North America move to stage 3?

In the first half of the twentieth century

When did Asia and Latin America move to stage 3?

In the second half of the twentieth century

Stage 4: Low Growth characteristics

very low birth and death rates result in no long-term natural increase, possibly even a decrease

zero population growth (ZPG)

when the CBR declines to being almost equal to CDR, causing the NIR to approach 0

What TFR produces ZPG?

2.1

Why do countries move into stage 4?

Women start to enter the labor force rather than stay at home, and have a wider variety to birth-control methods

What are the two ways in reducing birth rates?

education and health, and contraception

lowering birth rates through education and health care

-with women in school, they are more likely to learn employment skills and get more economic control over their lives
-with better education, women understand their reproductive rights, and be able to make better choices
-with better health care, IMRs will decline
-with the survival of infants ensured, women will be able limit the number of children they have

lowering birth rates through contraception

-focused on rapidly diffusing modern contraceptive methods

How many women in sub-Saharan Africa use contraceptives?

less than 1/4

How many women in Asia use contraceptives?

more than 2/3's

How many women in Latin America use contraceptives?

more than 3/4's

What are some reasons for opposion of birth control?

religion and government, especially with the US having a disdain for abortion

What was Malthus's idea?

He believed that the population was growing too fast for resources to keep up, therefore causing the downfall of humans

In what stage had England just entered when Malthus made his claim?

stage 2

What things frighten neo-Malthusians today?

In modern day, the gap between population growth and resources is wider than Malthus had ever expected.
World population is stripping the world from resources such as energy and water, not just food.

What are the thoughts of Malthus's critics?

-Malthus had been unnecessarily pessimestic, thinking that the supply of resources is fixed rather than expanding.
-a larger population would expand the economy, causing more people to be producing food
-most hunger and poverty comes from unjust social and economic institutions, not population

What are things Malthus was wrong in?

-population was greater than he expected
-overall food production increased more rapidly
-people who can't buy or access food aren't suffering from lack of resources, they're suffering from distribution of wealth

What are things that Malthus was right in?

-India's rice production has followed his expectations
-if India doesn't change anything, people will outnumber resources

Why is Japan's population declining and what are problems with it?

-there are more elderly than young
-Japan discourages immigration
-there is a severe shortage of workers
-Japan is trying to make it more appealing to the elderly to work
-however, if there are more women working, they may not have time for kids, affecting the CBR and NIR even more

A country that has passed through the four stages will have...

-a total population that is much higher than in stage 1
-CBRs and CDRs that are not as high as in stage 1

What are the two breaks in the demographic transition?

1. The sudden drop in death rate that comes from technology and innovation (this has happened in all countries)
2. The sudden drop in birth rate that comes from changing social customs (this has yet to happen in many countries)

Possible Stage 5: Decline

-very low CBR and an increasing CDr, resulting in a negative NIR
-more elderly than young
-women chose to have less and less children

Why does Russia have a negative NIR?

Russia used to be a communistic country, and was pessimestic about having children in an uncertain world. The high CDR stems from pollution.

When did India get a sharp decline in death rate?

Once it gained independence from England in 1947

What did the Indian government do in response to the high NIR?

It started a national family-planning program, distibuting birth-control devices and performing safe abortions.

What was the sterilization program?

surgical procedures that made people incapable of reproduction

Why was the sterilization program opposed?

People feared being forcibly sterilized.

How does China control its CBR?

-the One Child Policy, which gives benefits to couples if they only have one child
-marriage for men is prohibited until age 22
-marriage for women is prohibited until age 20
-people recieve free contraceptives, abortions, and sterilizations