Even though this blog isn't necessarily about the policy side of the population growth 'issue', I still think it's important to take at least a brief look at it. It's all well discussing 'overpopulation' and deciding it is an issue (or conversely that there aren't enough births) , but what about the next steps? How does one (or the government that is) go about managing it?
So over the next few weeks I'm going to introduce a series of different examples of 'population management' policies from the past and present; the good, the bad and the ugly. This will hopefully convey some of the challenges that exist when dealing with such a sensitive issue, and how if handled the wrong way, what other social and economic problems can arise.
I'm going to jump right in with the most obvious: CHINA!
In 1979, the Chinese government introduced the 'family planning policy', more commonly known as the 'one child policy' to alleviate social, economic and environmental problems. If families had more than one child, they were heavily fined. According to government officials, it has prevented some 200-400million births although these figures are disputed. However, its 'success' has come with human rights concerns about its implementation (rumours of illegal forced abortion and sterilisation abound) and its social consequences (female infanticide and sex imbalance as male children are preferred).
In November this year (2013), the policy was relaxed, allowing only child parents to have 2 children.
Read more about it here
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