JKR: Demography ✔️ Flashcards
What is Demography?
What can affect it?
The study of populations and their characteristics.
Affected by: death, birth, immigration, emigration.
How has the UK population changed over time?
1901 - 37m in Britain.
2018 - approx 65m.
Since the 1980’s, what has been the main cause of population growth?
Net migration - more immigration than emigration.
What are Birth Rates?
What’s their pattern like?
Birth rates: the number of live births per thousand or the population per year.
There has been a long term decline of them since 1900.
When were the 3 fluctuations with babies in the 20th century?
- first two were as men returned home after war, saw realities of war and had the urge to expand their family.
- 1960’s as jobs and incomes grew = people could afford it.
What is the Total Fertility Rate?
What has its pattern been like?
The average number of children women will have during their fertile years.
It has risen in recent years but still much lower than in the past.
The changes in the low births reflects that: (4)
- women are remaining childless.
- women are postponing kids to focus on careers.
- access to abortion and contraception = more control.
- less stigma.
What are the reasons for the decline in birth and fertility rates?
- changes in women’s positions
- decline in infant mortality rate
- children are now an economic liability
- child centredness
Explain how ‘changes in women’s positions’ is a reason for the decline in birth rate:
- women are more educated and have a change in their mindset. they prefer to continue their career than just be a housewife.
Harper believes their education is the reason for this.
Explain how ‘decline in the infant mortality rate’ is a reason for the decline in birth rate:
A fall in the IMR leads to a fall in birth rates because if infants are surviving, parents have fewer.
What was the infant mortality rate like in 1900 versus now?
1900 - 15% died before first birthday.
Now : it has fell.
Why has there been a decline in the infant mortality rate? (5)
- improved housing
- better nutrition
- better knowledge of hygiene
- immunisation of common killers like whooping cough and measles
- improved midwifery.
What was the infant mortality rate like in 1950 vs 2012?
1950 - 30
2012 - 4
Where did falling family sizes develop according to Brass and Kabir?
- in urban areas not rural areas.
Explain how ‘children are now an economic liability’ is a reason for the decline in birth rate:
In the past, children could be sent out to work and make money for their family.
Now, there are laws against this and kids must be dressed and fed to a certain standard = children are so much more dependent on their parents and expensive.
Explain how ‘child centredness’ is a reason for the decline in birth rate:
- children are at the centre of everything and families have turned from ‘quantity’ to ‘quality’ = they want to have fewer children which they can ‘spoil’ / provide more for.
