Topic 4 - Demography Flashcards
The 4 factors affecting the size of the population are:
Births: how many babies are being born
Deaths: How many people die
Immigration: how many people enter the country from elsewhere
Emigration: how many people leave the country to live elsewhere
Demography
The study of populations and their characteristics:
Size: Is the population large or small?
Age structure: Is the average age of the population rising or falling?
Birth Rate:
Number of live births per thousand of the population per year.
Changes in birth rate since 1900
there has been a long-term decline in number of births since 1900.
However, there have been fluctuations in births, with ‘baby booms’
What do you think the reason was for these ‘baby booms’ (increase in births)?
The first two came after the two world wars. As returning servicemen and their partners started families that they postponed during the wars years.
The third, in response to growing economic prosperity.
Total Fertility Rate
average number of children women have, who are of childbearing age (usually 15-44 years old).
Reasons for the decline in Birth Rates
Changes in Women’s position
Decline in the infant mortality rate
Children are now an economic reliability
Child-centredness
Changes in position of women
- How it impacts on fertility rate
Women are choosing to have fewer children, as they focus on careers rather than being a full time housewife.
Changes in position of women - How and why this impacts on family/society
Smaller families, couples having children later in life, more childless couples.
Changes in position of women - Research/ evidence to support this
Sarah Harper (2012): education of women is the most important reason for the long-term fall in birth and fertility rates. Educated women more likely to use family planning. Also see other possibilities apart from traditional roles. Delayed childbearing - in order to pursue a career. In 2012, 1 in 5 women aged 45 were childless. Cultural norms about family size have changed.
Decline in the infant mortality rate - How it impacts on fertility rate
Couples are having fewer children, as they don’t need big families to replace children who die young.
Decline in the infant mortality rate - How and why this impacts on family/society
Smaller families, more child-centred families.
Decline in the infant mortality rate - Research/ evidence to support this
Sarah Harper (2012): a fall in IMR leads to a fall in birth rate. Infants are surviving, so parents need to have fewer of them
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS:
In 1900, the IMR for the UK was 154. 15% of babies died in their first year. In 1950, IMR was 30. In 2012, IMR stood at 4.
REASONS WHY: Better housing, Better nutrition, Better knowledge, Improved healthcare, Less married women working
Children have become an economic liability - How it impacts on fertility rate
Ban on child labour and introduction of compulsory education made children an economic liability, not asset.
Children have become an economic liability - How and why this impacts on family/society
Smaller families particularly for working class families who cannot financially support many children
Children have become an economic liability - Research/ evidence to support this
Until late 19th Century, children were economic assets as they could be sent out to work from an early age.
Laws: Banning child labour, compulsory schooling and raising the school leaving age = children remain economicall dependent
Changing norms: about what children have a right to expect from parents in material terms mean that the cost of bringing up children has risen = more financial pressure
Child centeredness - How it impacts on fertility rate
Parents are now more focused on giving children ‘the best’, so have fewer in order to spend more time and money on them.
Child centeredness - How and why this impacts on family/society
Smaller families, rise of ‘child-centred society’, rising standards of living and education. Toxic childhood?
Child centeredness - Research/ evidence to support this
golden age of childhood
Shift from quantity to quality - parents now have fewer children and focus more attention and resources on the few children they have
Infant mortality rate
number of infants who die before their 1st birthday per 1000 live births
Future Trends in Birth Rates
Birth rates, IMR, and family sizes have fallen as a result of these factors.
However (AO3)… since 2001 there has been a slight increase in births.
One reason for this:
Increase in immigration = on average mothers from outside the UK have a higher fertility rate than those born in UK.
How could changes in birth rates impact the family?
Smaller families contribute to rise of beanpole family - close links between children, parents, grandparents.
Smaller families mean women are more likely free to go to work. Creating dual-earner couples/families.
How could changes in birth rates impact the public services and government policies?
Reduces number and types of houses that need to be built.
Fewer schools, maternity, and child health services are needed.
Lowers the cost of maternity and paternity leave.
(Saving taxpayers money).
HOWEVER,
These are all political decisions. For example, instead of reducing number of schools, the government could decide on smaller class sizes.
Reasons for the ageing population
Death Rate decrease + Birth Rate decrease
= Ageing population
ageing population
Less people dying → people getting older = average age increased.
Less babies being born → average age isn’t pulled down by a high number of young people
Reasons for the ageing population
Increased life expectancy - people are living longer due to improvements in health care and nutrition
Declining infant mortality rate - babies more likely to survive first year of life due to improvements in health care and nutrition
Declining fertility rate - fewer children being born due to changes in women’s position and attitudes towards children
‘Age Pyramids’
Donald Hirsch (2005)
Traditional ‘age pyramids’ are disappearing and being replaced by more or less equal-sized ‘blocks’.
It is estimated that in 2041, there will be as many 78 year olds as five years olds.
public services as an effect of and ageing population
Older people consume a larger proportion of services
More people using the NHS and social care services
Increased expenditure on services such as housing (care homes) and transport (free bus passes)
This creates a pressure for families to provide care for elderly family members to ease this pressure (usually falls to women)
However, we should be aware of over-generalising as many people remain in good health, well into old age.
families as an effect of an ageing population
One-person pensioner households now account for 12.5% or 1 in 8 households.
Most of these are female, as women generally marry younger and live longer.
Among over 75s, there are twice as many women as men - This has been labelled the ‘feminisation’ of later life.
Beanpole families are also on the rise as older people are living longer. They are able to provide childcare for their grandchildren. In exchange, they may also live with their children, creating three generation households (1 in 10 elderly people do this).
dependency ratio as an effect of an ageing population
Relationship between the size of the working part of the population and size of the non-working (dependent) part of the population.
Pensioners are economically dependent on working people (through taxes). e.g. taxation to pay for pensions and health care.
As number of retired people increases → increases dependency ratio and burden on working population. Ageing population creates economic burden.
HOWEVER, ‘old’ does not necessarily mean economically dependent - the age of retirement is rising. In 2020 = 66, in 2026 = 67.
