Birth Control and Poverty Reduction

In: Social Issues
Birth Control and Poverty Reduction

Mashell Chapeyama

Zimbabwe

This week we looked at the relationship between family planning, life expectancy and economic growth. Generally, most people and organizations concur that there is a relationship among these variables. Birth control has an input in the rate of population growth. The level of population in the world or in a country seems to impact on economic growth and the level of the standard of living f the people.
Let us look at the question of the relationship between family planning and population growth. The more the people practice family planning the more likely that the population will stabilize in the long run. The population may also grow at a decreased rate. There is no question on the fact that family planning has assisted in controlling the rate of population growth the world over. In most countries, where family planning has been practiced the rate of population growth is lower than in countries where the issue of family planning is not wide spread. In most developed countries where family planning is practiced at a larger scale, the rate of population growth is lower than in some developing countries where there is little family planning.
Let us shift attention to the relationship between population growth and economic development. Some economists have found a relationship between the rate of population growth and economic growth. They have established that countries with low rate of population growth have realized a better rate of economic growth. The most cited example is that of China. China introduced the one child policy in 1979. That assisted in reducing the rate of population expansion. Now, years later, China has grown into an economic powerhouse. It is undoubtedly one of the most flourishing economies in the world.