Chapter 6 – Q&A

1. Population growth in developing nations has proceeded at unprecedented rates over

the past few decades. Compare and contrast the present rate of population growth in

less developed countries with that of the modern developed nations during their early

growth years. What has been the major factor contributing to rapid developing country

population growth since the Second World War? Explain your answer.

-When we compare South Korea has population growth to the Philippines, S.

Korea has a lower percentage of population growth today but in their growth years, it is

almost the same as the current population growth in the Philippines. The population

growth rate of the two countries can be affected by several factors, but it is great to see

that the rates of the Philippines is almost the same as when S. Korea’s growth years. I

think the major factor in the growth in the world’s population at that time is that after the

world war II, peace is restored and although there are some conflict between countries,

a third world war did not emerge and men is present together with their wives in that

time period. The period after world war II became a period for reproduction of offspring

and economic growth for everyone, especially countries that won the war. People

becoming comfortable with the situation made the economy prosper and it encouraged

different couples to reproduce as their current situation gave them hope for their

children’s future.

2. What is the relationship between the age structure of a population and its

dependency burden? Is the dependency burden higher or lower in developing

countries? Why?
 - The age structure of a population shows how young or old a population is and

the dependency burden is about the burden that is carried by the workforce caused by

the number of people that is not included in the workforce (children and elderly).

Through the age structure of a population, a country can assess if its dependency

burden is high or low and if there are certain adjustments or intervention needed to

control the number of dependents to the workforce of a certain population or a country.

In developing countries, the number of dependent population is high because of the

trend of high number of children being born and raised as a result of the rapid growth of

the country.

3. Explain the notion of the hidden momentum of population growth. Why is this an

important concept for projecting future population trends in different developing nations?

- The notion of the hidden momentum of population growth is that as long as

there is a youthful population present, even if birth rates fall, there is still a possibility

based on observation that population will still grow in the coming years as the number of

potential parents are not going down rapidly. This is an important concept for

developing nations as countries that are densely populated but is not ready for another

population boom like the Philippines can ready itself for an upcoming problem of

another wave of a new generation.

4. Describe briefly the theory of the demographic transition. At what stage in this

transition do most developing countries seem to be? Explain your answer.

- The theory of demographic transition states that countries that are in different

stages of development goes into three stages (first as an underdeveloped country with
high birth and death rates, second as an developing country with rapid-growth stage

and high birth rates and low death rates, and lastly, third as a developed country with a

stable low birth rate and low death rate.) as they go into the process of transitioning

from one phase to another. In my observation, most developing countries are in the

second stage characterized with high birth rates and low death rates and in my opinion,

it is caused by an economy that is just developing with better access to health care but

there is no enough influence of the modern living that affects the fertility of the

population.

5. How does the microeconomic theory of fertility relate to the theory of consumer

choice? Do you think that economic incentives and disincentives influence family size

decisions? Explain your answer, giving some specific examples of such incentives and

disincentives.

- the two theories relate in a way that in the microeconomic theory of fertility,

children are looked into as a special consumption good that is demanded by families

and there are special considerations that comes with desiring children such as

household income, price of all other goods, etc. Yes, economic incentives and

disincentives influence family size decisions. For instance, if maternity and paternity

leave is implemented by the government, more people would be willing to reproduce

because they are safeguarded by the law and if there are special sanctions like

increased tax for families with more than 2 children, there will be less families that will

try to have more than 2 offspring as it would impede in their economic capabilities.
6. “The world population problem is not just a matter of expanding numbers but also one

of rising affluence and limited resources. It is as much a problem caused by developed

nations as it is one deriving from developing countries.” Comment on this statement.

- In my opinion, the problem in the rapid growth of the population can be solved

with proper resource allocation throughout the world, but with the hindrances of the

current system of living, the effect of capitalism to the concentration of the wealth of the

world, and the divide between nations, the problem with population will only be blamed

to the developing countries but in reality, developed countries are part of the problem

too. The concentration of the world’s resources to certain countries is a problem we may

not solve for as long as the system allows it. That is the first problem we have to tackle

first then we can move to solving the problem in population.

7. List and briefly describe the principal causes of high population growth in developing

countries and the major consequences.

- The high population growth in developing countries is a result of the rapid

development in infrastructures, economic activities and health technology that resulted

into improved care for ill people and newborn children that made survivability high and

resulted into a higher rate of population. The major consequences of the high population

growth can include and not limited to problems such as food shortages, lack of

manpower for health, security and education (police, military, doctors, teachers, and

other professionals), high dependency that will burden a population’s economy, etc.

8. Explain why fertility rates are falling much more rapidly in some developing countries

than in others.
 - Fertility rates might be falling much more rapidly in some developing countries

because of varying factors. The fall in fertility rate can be attributed to the rise of more

women prioritizing their careers over motherhood, the HIV/AIDS global epidemic, an

increase in the number of people working overseas in a certain population and

government intervention through the use of family planning advocacy and

implementation.

9. Outline and comment briefly on some of the arguments against the idea that

population growth is a serious problem in developing nations.

- Some of the arguments against the idea that population growth is a serious

problem includes “population growth is not the true problem, there are other issues that

make population growth a problem”, “population growth was made an issue by rich

developed nations to stop the progress of developing nations and to further seize

control of the natural resources and the economy of the world”, and “population growth

is really desirable for growth, not a problem”. I am agreeing on the first statement, as

even though the resources of the world is limited, through proper control and

management, everyone can have a fruitful life and other problems such as how the

world is structured hinders the capacity to cater to the needs of the people. The second

argument feels like it leans into the problem of class (Marxist ideology), and I strongly

believe that rich developed nations does not truly have that goal, but it may be an

agenda that they are pursuing. The third statement is the truth as labor is needed for a

country to prosper, though too much surplus in labor may lead to problems in the long

run. There should be a point where leaders of the developing countries think about

strategies on how to control population growth for their own advantage.

population growth is a serious problem in developing nations.

-- Some of the arguments in support the idea that population growth is a serious

problem includes “unrestrained population growth causes the social ills like malnutrition,

poor health and poverty”, “food shortage will be present with population growth” and

“population growth will damage the environment”. The first argument has a point, but it

is manageable if the resources are easily accessible to everyone but due to the way the

world works, it became the truth. The second argument is true too, however, there are

instances where food products spoil without even bought by a consumer. The third

argument is also true as more people will have an increase carbon footprint and there

will be more housing, and other products that will be needed to be consumed. All of the

statemes are true however, in my opinion, I think it is manageable and can be solved if

there are major adjustments to how the world works for instance, rich countries will

provide their excess production of food to poor countries but sadly, it is not yet possible

due to the way how the world works.

11. Outline and comment briefly on the various policy options available to developing

countries’ governments in their attempt to modify or limit the rate of population growth.

- Some of the policy options available for developing countries’ governments in

their attempt to modify of limit the rate of population growth includes family planning,

educating the masses through formal and informal channels, manipulating economic

incentives or disincentives for having children, and empowering women. Family

planning is one of the best ways to control the population growth if implemented on a

massive scale but since there is a limited budget in developing governments, we can
educate people through formal (school) or informal (mass media) channels to tell them

the benefits and loss in having one or more children. Economic disincentives for having

children will induce an outcry but if it will help to lessen the population, this should be

considered by countries with too much people. Most importantly, women empowerment

will be a key aspect since if women are empowered and is allowed to work in different

industries, the chances that younger women and working women to get pregnant will be

lower due to them prioritizing their careers (in a hypothetical situation)

12. Suppose that a study finds that there is complementarity in fertility decisions. What

would this mean? What are the possible implications?

-It would mean that population growth will not stop but there is a possibility that it

will decline if different factors would influence the decisions of couples. It can imply that

several factors are in place that affects fertility decisions that makes it difficult to control

the population to reproduce, and the administration of different countries can only find

ways to adjust based on the current or future growth of their population.

13. What aspects of population policy alternatives—including their strengths and

weaknesses—are illustrated by the cases of China and India?

- The early population policy alternatives that was introduced by China (One-

Child Policy) and India (Mass Sterilization Camps) are both effective but dreadful in

terms of implementation since it has strict sanctions and consequences. The policies

are effective since it gave a slight nudge of decrease in live births per woman. However,

the policies’ weakness is that it made people fear these policies. It was clear in India

that people became fearful with “family planning” but it was fixed over time through
public discourse, advertisements and other broadcasts made by the Indian government.

The Chinese government was also successful to decrease the reproductive capacities

of their country however, it is stated in the book that by 2050, there is an estimate that

the number of people aged 50 will be twice as many as the number of people aged 20

and below.