Topic 4- demography

• What is the birth rate and what are the trends in it?

  Birth rate- the number of live births per year per 1000.

  Trends- a long term decline in birth rate. However, there were three baby booms after WW1, WW2 and during the 1960's
• What is one reason for the decline in birth rate?

  1. Changes in the position of women - Increased educational opportunities, more women in paid work, change in attitude towards family life and the women's role, wider access to abortion and contraception.
• What is a second reason for a decline in birth rate?

  2. Fall in infant mortality rate - improved housing, sanitation, nutrition, knowledge of hygiene and child health, improved technology, antibiotics.
• What is a third reason for a decline in the birth rate?

  3. Children as an economic liability - Laws banning child labour coupled with the introduction of compulsory schooling has meant children remain economically dependent for longer, changing norms about children's right to a high standard of living raises their cost.​
• What is a final reason for the decline in birth rate?

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  4. Child centredness - childhood is now socially constructed and uniquely important period of life, parents focus on quality not quantity, meaning they have fewer children but lavish more attention and resources on them.
• What is the impact of a declining birth rate?

  The dependency ratio increases- the ratio between the size of the working population and the non working (dependant) population

  The populations earnings support the dependent population through tax

  Women are having fewer children because this reduces the burden of dependency

  Public services- fewer schools, child health services etc
• What are deaths and what are the trends in this?

  Deaths- the number of deaths per 1000 per year

  Trends- declining. With the exception of fluctuations in WW1, WW2 and the 1918 flu epidemic
• What are the reasons for a decline in death rate?

  Improved nutrition, medical improvement, public health improvements and social change (decline in manual labor, greater knowledge of disease)
• What are the reasons for an ageing population?

  Increased life expectancy, low infant mortality rate and declining fertility
• What is the impact of an ageing population?

  Increased strain on public services, more one person households, a rising dependency ratio and ageism
• What does Philipson (a marxist) say about the ageing population?

  The old are of no use to capitalism because they are no longer productive and are an economically dependent group, adding to the dependency ratio
• What does Hunt (a postmodernist) say about the ageing population?

  We can choose our identity no matter what our age is: our age no longer determines who we are. As a result of this, the elderly become a market for body maintenance and rejuvenation services and goods, such as cosmetic surgery, gym membership and anti-ageing products
• What is the difference between immigration and emigration?

  Immigration- movement into a society

  Emigration- movement out of a society
• What are some reasons for migration?

  Push factors- unemployment and economic recession

  Pull factors- higher wages and better opportunities