Evaluating the population policies in developed and developing countries , Written By Raliegh Barnett Dip Teach; BEd; MAt

                        Evaluating the population policies in developed and developing countries

The dynamics of population studies focuses on the outcome of the interplay of current and future fertility, mortality, and migration throughout the world. Factors such as age and improved technology contribute greatly to any population’s structure. It is the belief of many theorists that, knowledge of a country’s fertility rate plays an integral role in developing and understanding its long-term growth potential and the way in which its age composition evolves. The rate in which some regions throughout the world grow influences the total growth rate of the world’s population. So as to prevent the chances of world over-population mechanisms are being planned and in some cases executed in an effort to stave off such crisis. Many countries, regions and world bodies have embraced efforts such as contraceptives use. Much of such efforts can be found in developing regions where the growth in population is high.

For several years many developing regions like the Caribbean have made substantial progress toward improving maternal and child health, providing reproductive health services to couples, and bringing fertility and mortality levels into line with national goals. Compared to the statistics of the 1700 and 1800 where the average life expectancy was between 25- 35 years. Although the prevalence of HIV/AIDS still impacts these regions negatively, fertility remains the dominant factor dictating the future size, growth, and composition of most developing nations. Of the many factors considered important in understanding variation in fertility over time and from one population to the next, contraceptive prevalence is considered key in many developing countries. Without having a check on population growth development will never occur.

Studies have shown that the demographic transition throughout the world from a high to a low fertility rate, has four “proximate determinants”. These “proximate determinants” of fertility account for most of the difference between natural fertility and the observed total fertility rate. These factors include changes in marriage patterns, changes in postpartum infecundability (due to changing breastfeeding patterns), increased reliance on family planning to space or limit births, and changes in rates of induced abortion. It is the belief of many researchers that the knowledge of contraceptive use plays an integral role when trying to understand recent trends, current levels, and perhaps the future direction of fertility in developing countries and regions, like Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The combined effects of delaying the age at marriage and the growing use of family planning to postpone the onset of childbearing or limit family size within marriage is the underlined viewpoint of Thomas Malthus. Many individuals throughout the developed world have opted to take this road. Many have focused their energy on qualification and their career rather than the idea of starting a family at an early age. According to researchers many young people have increasingly delayed first marriage for reasons such as the pursuit of education due to the changing roles of women and their participation in the labor force. Women are now gradually becoming qualified, for set careers which were usually regarded as male occupation. This ideology has been encouraged by influential feminist throughout the world.

The above describe a typical developed country or region like Canada or North America. Throughout the continent of Africa, the age of Marriage is low but high in regions like Latin America, the Caribbean and sections of Asia. It is the view of the United Nation through their population policy initiative that Postponing marriage may lead to smaller family size. It is the belief that couples have fewer years of childbearing when they delay marriage. The idea of having small families should help to eliminate poverty. It is the belief of many that poverty, refers to the inability of anyone to maintain human basic needs, (food, shelter and clothing). It is however important that we note that while delayed marriage may account for part of the decline in fertility rates in developing countries during the 1980s and 1990s, decreasing marital fertility is typically related to increases in contraceptive use within marriage.

According to Karl Marx, population increase must be interpreted in the context of the capitalistic economic system. A capitalist gives to labor as wage a small share of labor's productivity, and the capitalist himself takes the lion's share. The capitalist introduces more and more machinery and thus increases the surplus value of labor's productivity, which is pocketed by the capitalist. The surplus is the difference between labor's productivity and the wage level. A worker is paid less than the value of his productivity. When machinery is introduced, unemployment increases and, consequently, a reserve army of labor is created. Under these situations, the wage level goes down further, the poor parents cannot properly rear their children and a large part of the population becomes virtually surplus. Poverty, hunger and other social ills are the result of socially unjust practices associated with capitalism.

Population growth, according to Marx, is therefore not related to the alleged ignorance or moral inferiority of the poor, but is a consequence of the capitalist economic system. Marx points out that landlordism, unfavorable and high man-land ratio, uncertainty regarding land tenure system and the like are responsible for low food production in a country. Only in places where the production of food is not adequate does population growth become a problem. In other words Marx suggest that population growth is good. It increases production. However without careful management poverty will become an issue. Poverty becomes a problem as a result of greedy capitalist unwilling to share the spoils / profit of production. Marx disagreed with Malthus suggestion of population containment/ control

Karl Marx and his student Engels disdainfully rejected Malthus assertions on population growth and control. Malthus theory on population was use by Marx a means of proving his previous assertions. At the most general theoretical level Marx and Engels see in Malthus' principle of population another instance of the way in which bourgeois economists reify social relations. The population policy put forward by Malthus was never agreed upon by Marx, his students or any group of people who opted to adopt the communist manifesto as proposed by Karl Marx. .Many countries within the developing world are democratic and have embraced measures capable of managing population growth. The use of contraceptives throughout the developing world is now becoming prevalent. Regardless of religious and cultural beliefs, many females are taking steps to curb their fertility rate. It is as a result of this initiative that the birth rate for many developed countries example, Kenya has decreased. Many females within the developing world have delayed their marriage so as to decrease the number of births they have during their life span.

Throughout the Caribbean and other developing regions, it is being accepted that decrease birth rate encourages economic development, and improves the standard of living for all concerned. However many sociologist and anthropologist would argue that many marriages are delayed yet females are still getting pregnant out of marriage. The rate of single parent families having mothers being the head of these homes is very common throughout the Caribbean including Jamaica. A cultural tradition entrenched within the Caribbean society from as early as the era of Caribbean Slavery. Indeed the idea of delayed marriage is not a workable solution to the increase in the desire for sexual exploits. One can argue that the use of contraceptives serves as one of the best alternatives to the age old suggestion of Malthus.

Statistics have indicated that the use of contraceptive decreases fertility rate. Contraceptive prevalence is now prevalent throughout many developing countries and region including the Caribbean and the Latin America Area. According to statistics, the phrase contraceptive rate refers to the percentage of a population, both women and men but generally women of reproductive age or married women of reproductive age, using contraception. Some modern prevalent methods of contraceptive include condoms, pills, IUDs, vaginal methods, injectables, and sterilization. “Traditional” methods and traditional method prevalence refer to such methods of contraception as periodic abstinence, withdrawal, douche, and prolonged breastfeeding as well as folk methods. Today, many married and unmarried women and men practice the use of contraceptives in both developing and developed countries. The quality and type of the contraceptives used are pre-determined by the region one originates.

So far we have examine the difference in fertility rate between the developing countries versus the developed countries. It should now be common knowledge that during the earlier years increase births resulted in increase in mortality due to the inability of the societies back then to manage the needs including the health care of those whom existed then. Measures such as the postponement of the age of marriage and the use of contraceptives were highlighted as means of controlling the population bomb of the late 1800’s through to the early 1900’s.

It is the belief of many sociologists that other means of managing the explosion in population exist. These include Family planning and the granting of social aid to developing countries with a high birth rate. What is meant by social and economic programs? The United States of America faces the problem of immigrant migrating illegally across their boarders each year. These illegal migrants originate from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico to name a few, the above listed are all marked developing countries. In an effort to limit the flow of illegal immigrant, the government of the United States of America has opted to provide opportunities for economic sustainability for several developing countries.

These initiatives include the opportunity of migrant workers working seasonally on their local farms and within hotel establishment throughout their country. They have also established grant agencies aimed at sponsoring the population policies of both the United Nation and individual developing countries .They have also been responsible for the training of individuals responsible for family life education. The focus of reproductive policy in Latin America and the Caribbean has been to curb the "population explosion" often associated with the political unrest and instability of the region. It is the belief of many sociologist and anthropologist that population control is inextricably linked to national economic development and social stability. In Latin America (Colombia and Puerto Rico) population programs have been pursued within the framework of national development including vigorous sterilization drives.

One cannot view population control in a vacuum. The structure of any population control programs is twofold. The internal aspect includes family planning associations, doctors and other individuals in the medical and social service sector. Externally, foreign organizations such as the World Bank and the International Federation of Planned Parenthood play important roles within the framework of the population control programs, by providing money and infrastructure. The emergence of population and birth control concerns coincided with the United Nation population policy.

Throughout several developed countries, a relationship between fertility, population policies, and foreign aid can be identified. Many persons, groups or sect have been scrutinizing the efforts of the developed countries in introducing birth control mechanisms. Example Rastafarians and Muslims, many Rastafarians are today of the belief that birth control mechanisms being introduced by developed countries into developing countries are means of limiting the population growth of many black or non white population. A rationale which is used by the Rastafarians is that many developed countries which were once colonial masters within the past seek a reduction in the black race. Muslims do not favour the use of any form of birth control. They believe it goes against their religious convictions.

Having a population policy should help to formalize many practice which influences the population structure of any society / region. Many sociologists are of the opinion that consideration be given to use of abortions to management birth rate. The thought of introducing abortion as a means of population control however, goes against the value system of most Caribbean societies. With the swirl of feminist’s ideology throughout the Caribbean today, and the thought of the idea that one should be free to choose, envelopes the idea of liberalization within the social framework of any society namely the Caribbean. According to many feminist advocates, the idea of legalizing abortion as means of population control is not too far fetch. Interestingly, circumventing the influence of societal values and norms requires great effort and education on the part of those seeking to introduce this initiative.

Birth control is seen by many as an individual choice rather that a national or international concern. Many argue that no one should limit another’s choice. It is with this ideology many females engage themselves in unprotected sex and casual sexual exploits. As a result of unprotected sex and casual sexual exploits many females become pregnant. These pregnancies are usually unplanned. These pregnancies are unplanned and increases the risk of poverty within many already poor communities found in several developing countries including Jamaica.

Throughout the Caribbean today and many developing countries, women have rested the burden of birth control on men. Men are required to use a condom or no sexual favour will be granted (sometimes). This practice has lead to many females within poor countries having unprotected sex and increase in population growth rate. In addition to the increase in population size, many females within developing regions like the Caribbean are at great risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease. In reality, many young females do experiment with sexual exploits from as early as age ten (10). This has resulted in a high risk of pregnancy at an early age. It is the belief of many Caribbean sociologist, that young females throughout the Caribbean and other developing countries / regions continues to become sexual active and become pregnant until they reach in their mid forties (40’s), becoming sexually active is seen as their way of life. Regardless of many initiative and effort by several international agencies large families are seen as insurance in many countries found within this group developing countries. It is the hope of many policy makers that the introduction of sex education and family planning encourages individuals to maintain a small size family.

The luxury of choice doesn’t always exist within a society. For several reasons with the prime one being sustainability, many societies have realized the urgency of population control. State intervention in population control exists within many developed and developing countries. In China the one child policy have been introduced so as to contain population growth. China has the largest population in the World. The last statistics published in 2014 estimates the population to be over 1.3 trillion. So as to maintain the population strict sterilization of women after their first child birth exist. To many, this practice eliminates the freedom of choice. Such rigid rule within many developing societies would be met by strong oppositions.

Within every society, reproductive policies can be difficult to understand without first examining the numerous rationale and definition surrounding the aspects of such policies. Fertility control is the regulation over the reproductive system as a whole, not just as it applies to child bearing, whereas birth control is the regulation of the number of children via management or prevention of contraception through a variety of methods. These methods include, but are not limited to, the use of oral contraceptives and the condom. Population control, as its name implies, is the direct control of a country's, or community's, or segment of society's population. Population control throughout developing countries can be achieved by varied methods of birth control. Throughout the Caribbean region and Latin America several comprehensive reproductive policy have been researched, experimented with and instituted as law. Many of countries have opted to introduce family planning programs.

Social as well as economic researchers have correlated economic sustainability with population size. Population control is inextricably linked to national economic development and social stability. For example, in the 1920s and 1930s the Colombian government instituted a framework that gave the state the power to intervene in women's reproductive health to improve the economic and social welfare of society virtually unchallenged. Currently, sterilization in Colombia is the second most popular family planning method, surpassed only by the use of oral contraceptives.

Colombia and Puerto Rico, with assistance from the United States, are the only two countries in the region in which the government has included population planning as an integral part of their national development plan. Other Latin American countries have instituted various levels of support but not to the degree in which it has been included in Puerto Rico and Colombia. These countries that actively pursued population planning programs within the framework of national development have also advocated vigorous sterilization drives. Although categorized as developing countries, both Puerto Rico and Colombia are achieving economic growth to some extent.

Many feminist would disagree with the argument that discrimination against women is seldom more evident than in the sphere of human reproduction. A woman’s reproductive decisions are often hindered by laws protecting a range of interests, from the rights of the fetus to the nebulous obligations arising from marriage and family life. The influence of the church and societal cultural norms have aided in the continuation of the resistance of participating in any birth control management system proposed by many Caribbean countries. It can be argued that women rights made the institutionalization of birth control mechanisms throughout the Caribbean region.

The issue of freedom of choice within democratic Caribbean societies was brought into question. The issue of women rights versus poverty reduction have been issues argued on many platforms with both sharing interesting ideology and shared opinions. These debates include the right for women to have abortion and be sterilized in an effort to reduce birth. Many pro-life positions regarding reproductive policy as a just means of world sustenance have had issues with idea of abortion. While agreeing on the reality of population management many have disagreed with the option of abortion.

The question of abortion is seen by many as an individual decision rather than a state. Throughout the Caribbean region, Latin America, North America and sections of Europe and Asia Abortion is common. The reality of taking care of a child with limited resources is seen as a backward step. Many view this as a vice as it goes against the will of the Christian church. The values of many societies throughout the above mentioned (European, South American) including the Caribbean region are hinged on those held by Christian believers. The answer to the question on the legality of abortion is clear, it is morally and socially wrong. Most if not all original laws mirrors statues and values shared within the Christian religion. Demographers assert that abortion although aides in the curtailing of population growth open the argument of morality and the respect for human life, death rate and infant mortality.

The issue of population growth throughout the region brings in focus the ability of the region to sustain itself. The food security of the Caribbean is an issue which has been a concern to many. Can the developing countries like those throughout the region of the Caribbean manage to feed themselves? Does the Caribbean region have the labour and the capacity to create opportunities which foster food security and independence throughout the region? The management of the population size should include the security of food supply throughout the region.

Population control fosters economic growth, decreases the rate of poverty, and decreases social issues such as crime, violence, unemployment and juvenile delinquency. Regardless of the above listed positive implications of population control mechanisms, many persons throughout the Caribbean are hesitant in adopting measures which should decrease population growth. Many are of the view that they might run a risk of not having anyone to take care of them when they become aged. Some persons are also of the view that the planned population control mechanisms are means of controlling the spawn of their African ancesterage. Some persons are of the practical view that many of the population control measures being introduced are not healthy and may have serious health complications.

Throughout the Caribbean, the adoption of population policies is slow and not welcoming by many governments. The cultural tradition on population distribution is held with high regards in many Caribbean and Latin American societies. The political directorates of the day are cachous in implementing population policies which goes against the cultural traditions of their societies. The implementation of many proposed policies may result in their citizens becoming rebellious and the ousting of their government from power. In short, the political will of the region’s political directorate is weak. This can be seen as they declines from any confrontations with the masses and as best as possible they the leaders of the day seek to appease the masses with hope of a longer stay in political power.

Regardless of the above discourse one can also argue that the Caribbean comprises mostly of poor countries. The implementation of a rigid population policy requires funding. This funding would require support from already developed countries. While this should foster economic sustainability in the near future, such funding is required in areas such as health, education and other social services. Priority in the latter takes much precedence over the suggested population policy for the Caribbean.

Throughout this paper we have carefully assessed population growth throughout the Caribbean. It can be concluded that Thomas Malthus, Karl Marx and the typical feminist perspective have compelling arguments. The feminist along with Marx believes females have a part to play in production. They believe that women should have the freedom to choose. To reproduce should be a personal decision. Malthus view seemed wholistic. His concern focused on the general implication of increase population on a country’s capacity to manage resource distribution.

As a region, the Caribbean has shared concern about the population growth rate of the region. During the earlier years of industrialization many people migrated to developed countries. The void of population migrated was met with an era of baby boom within some Caribbean countries. The shift in family size from medium size increased to large. The return of migrants from overseas employment opportunities saw much family size increase.

Population structure throughout the Caribbean has evolved over the last 50 years. The efforts to decrease family size have yielded fruit. No more does the family of one man and one woman opt to have between 8 to 10 children. With several policy decision and educational program many Caribbean natives have agreed with the decision to downsize the typical family size. The greatest advantage cited by all is the possibility of economic growth throughout the region with the decrease in population size. The risk of having a population and the inability to feed them now fades with a steady decrease in fertility rate throughout the Caribbean.

Population control measure such as sterilization, oral contraceptives and the delay of marriage of the birth of each family’s first child have yield much result. While the problem of teenage pregnancy still poses a problem throughout the region. Research has shown that after the first child during the teenage years, more than 85% of teenagers have their second child during their mid twenties and sometimes their early thirties. Indeed population policies throughout the Caribbean have contributed to a sustainable economic region. Resources are available to maintain the existing population of the region.

                                                               Reading Reference

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Betty Hartmann, Reproductive Rights and Wrongs: The Global Politics of Population Control and Contraceptive Choice (New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1987), 114.

Franklin W. Knight, The Caribbean: A Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism, 2ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1990), 267.

Rueben Hill, J. Mayone Stycos and Kurt W. Back, The Family and Population Control: A Puerto Rican Experiment in Social Change (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1959).

Harriet Presser, Sterilization and Fertility Decline in Puerto Rico (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973).

Harewood, J. (1968) ‘Recent Population Trends and Family Planning Activity in the

Caribbean’, Demography, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 874-893. Halberstein.