(Soc.)Promoting fertility control in USA

Zachary C.

Sociology
To: Professor G.
September 28

CT 3
Chapter 5, Question 3

Q. Consider the social effects of population measures such as the one child policy in China. How would such measures affect social institutions like the family and the economy? If the need arouse, do you think that the citizens of the United States could even support such a drastic policy?

Birth rates:
In the past, society has tried to curb populations through different types of contraceptives. Utilizing condoms and practicing abstinence has helped decrease the birth rate. Yet some religions prohibit the use of contraceptives. Although considered a moral issue, this proved disastrous during the mid 1900's, when young women would seek out private abortions. Most alarming where the abortions performed by the pregnant women themselves. One ethic dilemma produced another, with the youth of a culture making their decisions based not on their own beliefs, but on that of their parents.
As that generation of society grew older, and had children of their own, a new set of values began to emerge. With their own personal history as a base for their beliefs, the new parenting class desired active schooling regarding sexuality. Yet here we see a fracture in America's society. One group believes that it is better to educate their children, avoiding the pitfalls they themselves encountered. Another, holding on to those religious values of their parents, want their children to be kept innocent and untainted, holding on to the belief that their children’s religious upbringing will guide them through adolescence. Recent history has shown us that even in predominantly religious communities, a large group of the adolescent population are sexually active. In the past the use of condoms was considered wrong. Now, many efforts have been made not only to educate the population, but also to provide the contraceptives themselves to people.
Abortion has followed a similar path. Considered morally abhorrent, abortion is unacceptable to many, religious or not. Not until recently, especially will the advent of the women's movement, has abortion become somewhat acceptable. Even now, thirty years after Roe Vs. Wade, American society is divided over the issue of abortion.
The solution to the problem of population control, at least in the framework of birth rates, depends on the mind set of society. Does it take a catastrophe to encourage a society to curb increases in childbirth? The situation in Africa provides a good example. Even now, with a population exploding out of control, there is not enough effort in slowing down the population growth. Can American society, with it's overzealous obsession with an individual's rights, lay down it's selfishness for the good of society as a whole?
Death rates:
Although disease, exposure to the elements, and hard labor can increase the death rate, increasing these aspects is not a practical nor a acceptable means of controlling the death rate. Some would debate that any type of action to promote the increase of the death rate is unthinkable. Yet it is the normal course of nature to insert life and to remove life in a cyclic system. Taking one end of the equation creates an imbalance which, as we have read, leads to disastrous consequences.
As the world has progressed scientifically many religious arguments have disappeared. Many, like abortion, remain staunchly defended. One of those arguments is against euthanasia. Euthanasia, the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition*, is also fiercely debated in public and legal settings. The arguments are similar to abortion. The religious argument is that life should never be terminated by human hands. The argument by the proponents, often the sick themselves, is that although they had no choice in their birth, they should have a choice in their death. One credible argument against euthanasia is that some terminally ill patients may be taken advantage of by family members seeking their inheritance. Euthanasia also concerns those who are brain dead or paralyzed. Since these people will never become whole members of society, and experience no major stimulus or life in the traditional sense, it would be better to end their life.
Migration:
The concepts above can be applied to all of global society, yet to an individual society, emigration can ease the burden of an overpopulated society. As has happened in Europe during their imperialistic stages, emigration provides relief, if only for a short time. This requires empty land and significant resources wherever the emigrant immigrate too. In the global society, this does little good. This is merely rearrangement, not reduction.
Effects:
With education and a change in society's view of contraceptives, population control is well within the reach of developed nations. Even without abortion, technology and social programs provide the means to stifle the increasing imbalance between births and deaths. Communications, if used for more than entertainment and socializing, can educate the ignorant, help the forgetful and in general instill the duties of those in society to prevent overpopulation. A limited family group must learn to socialize outside of its family group. In today's society, where the communities have degenerated, this could be a means of rebirth. With the world becoming dominated by machines, a stable population could both service, operate and be served by machines without the stresses on the economy, environment and population that we are feeling currently.
A less than certain future lies with euthanasia. Although a proactive means of balancing the population, since lowering the birth rate helps little if the population continues to live for increasingly longer periods of time, it's detractors are many in society. The moral considerations are held by a large percentage of society, regardless of religious affiliation. A society where euthanasia is implemented might experience two opposing conditions. One where a member of a family recognizes that his life has wound to an end, and that it might be better to "exit stage left" rather than withering away for many more years. A member of a family may become less selfish, realizing that his or her sacrifice benefits his family, and society. The other condition is that of healthy members of society who begin pressuring the less than adequate to remove themselves from the world. Eventually, euthanasia could lead to involuntary death.
America and the One Child Concept:
The Chinese solution to overpopulation, limiting families to one child, has several problems being implemented in the USA. As mentioned before, America's fervor over an individual's rights must be addressed. Since politicians would be introducing the policy, they would have to walk on egg shells to not offend the populous. A possible solution might be to introduce a one child restriction as a ballot measure. Doing this would give citizens a chance to warm up to the idea. Add graphs and animations, with tax incentives, and the concept would quickly become mainstream. After the policy was implemented, the government would quickly find ways to advance other causes through the one child per family measure. America, with it's propensity to tax everything, would eventually start to allow families to have extra children, but they would be taxed more than those families with one child.
In regards to solutions for global population control, it would be difficult to create a standard for a world currently fractured along religious, social, and national boundaries. As recent events have shown, any actions taken by one political entity are distrusted by others. With a wide consensus by many nations, it might be possible to implement a population policy under the guise of "humanitarian assistance".

*The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.