Policies relating to managing population

• Population policies are measures taken by a government to influence the way its population is changing.
• Pro-natalist policies increase birth rates and total fertility rates. You cannot force people to have children but you can offer incentives, such as free education.
• Countries may introduce a pro-natalist policy if they have an aging population (with an increased dependency ratio) or if they have a shortage of economically active population (low birth and fertility rates)
• Pro-natalist policies may offer incentives such as: money, extended maternity and paternity leave and pay, free or subsidised childcare, and free or subsidised education and healthcare.
• Due to its pre-natal policies, Germany's population has grown from 60 million in 1913 to 70 million in 1923. These include a generous amount of financial support offered following the birth of a child- during the first year, they qualify for the Elterngeld which amounts to 67% of the parents after tax earnings.
• Anti-natalist policies aim to reduce birth rates, this can be done through better education on family planning and better provision of contraception.
• A country may introduce an anti-natal policy if the country is overpopulated, or it has a young population (with high birth rates).
• China currently has the largest population of the world, standing at 1.3 billion, it is the third largest country in the world but only 10% of the country can be used for farming. Much of the west is covered in mountains and much of the north is desert.
• In 1980, China introduced the "one child policy" which provided rewards to couples that agreed to have one child.
• China's "one child policy" was mainly focused on urban areas as this is where most of the young people are focused.
• China's "one child policy" included additional healthcare subsides, priority healthcare and priority in educational provision, to the families that abided.
• The "one child policy" in china was strictly enforced and there were punishments for people who did not follow the policy including fines, loss of jobs, removal of health rights, forced abortion and sterilisation.
• The "one child policy" was successful in that it dropped total fertility rates, and population growth fell from 2.61% in the late 1960s to about 0.65% in 2012.
• The limitations of the "one child policy" include criticisms of human rights and freedom of choice, female infanticide has taken place as boys are favoured, and there has been a shortage of workers in some areas due to a lack of young people.