Under population
France: Pro-natalist policy
Ø A population policy which
aims to encourage more births through the use of incentives. (such as child
benefits)
Ø In most developed
countries the decline in fertility and the increase in longevity has raised
concerns for the future:
1. the decrease in supply for
labour
2. an ageing population
Ø 1939- passed the ‘Code de
la famille’-pro-natalist legislation
1. offered cash incentives to
mothers who stayed at home
2. subsided holidays
3. banning the sale of
contraceptives (repealed in 1967)
Ø 163 countries offer
subsidies
Ø 12 weeks’ unpaid leave in
USA
Ø 3 years paid leave- job
guarantee
Ø child care
Ø tax credits
Ø 3rd child earns twice the
amount of the second child
Ø 2nd highest
fertility rate in Europe
Ø a greater emphasis on
child care- so women can work and have children
Evaluation:
Ø Total fertility rates in
France declined from the 1960s to the 1990s
1960- 2.73 children per woman
1992- 1.73
2007- 1.98
Ø In order for the
replacement (children born to balance the ageing population) need the fertility
rate of 2.1, because some children can die therefore every couple having 2 will
not be enough
Ø A complex policy and not
always consistent (more than 30 measures- so not easy to evaluate)
Ø Consensual policy and
politically neutral so doesn’t force people
Ø More feministic than
familistic:
1. A lot of support for
single parents
2. No need to be married; no
need to stay home
Ø 60-year continuity that
inspires confidence in the population
|
|
France
|
UK
|
|
Birth Rate
|
12.91 births per 1000
|
10.67 births
|
|
Fertility
|
1.98
|
1.66
|
|
Death Rate
|
8.55
|
10.09
|
|
Population growth
|
0.558%
|
0.275%
|
Germany- Encouraging migration:
Ø Refugees:
Defined by the UN as
person unwilling or unable to return to their homeland for fear of persecution,
based on reasons of race, religion, ethnicity or political opinion, or those
who have been displaced forcibly by other factors. They move to other countries
hoping to find asylum and help.
Ø Asylum seekers:
The formal application by a refugee to reside in a country
when they arrive in that country
Ø Germany estimated to take
in 800,000 refugees this year
Ø People seek asylum
because:
1. Pressure to migrate from
the poorest states is increasing because of economic decline and political
instability
2. Improved communications
enable people to learn more about potential destinations
3. The cost of transport has
declined
4. More gangs of traffickers are
preying on would-be migrants and offering a passage to a new life
It
can be difficult to distinguish between those fleeing from the threats to their
life and liberty and those seeking to escape poverty and improve their quality
of life.
Ø Germany also introduced a pro-natalist
policy
Ø They introduced it because
the birth rate began falling
Ø Their fertility rate was
1.37 per women which was well below the replacement rate
Ø The policy started in 2007
and the parents receive 67% of their net income per month
Ø They receive this for
staying at home and looking after their child
Ø Only for first year of the
child’s life
Ø Was meant to encourage
people to have more children
Ø The birth rate did
increase from 8.17 in 2006 to 8.33 in 2007
Ø However, after 2007 the
birth rate began to fall again and in 2009 it became lower than before to 7.88
Ø The policy failed as it
didn’t take into account the economic slump that had recently occurred
Ø Many women’s minds were
not changed easily and many didn’t want to give up their highly paid job for
childcare.
Ø Employers were not very
sympathetic to mothers
Ø The child caring
facilities were in poor condition
Ø They had a belief that
women were either mothers or workers, not both and those who did combine both
were looked down on.
Ø The policy could have been
improved by taking into consideration German society
Ø Try and help change the
view of ‘ravens mother’- women who had children and worked
Ø More financial incentives
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