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> they addressed the issue of over-population, something that a country like India has failed to do India took the path to education and propaganda to voluntar

by param 11y ago

> they addressed the issue of over-population, something that a country like India has failed to do India took the path to education and propaganda to voluntarily reduce the fertility rate. I don't think India has failed in its initiatives. Instead, I think they are going extremely well given that there is no legal limit on how many kids you can have. India is on track to reach peak-population by 2060. [1] Most educated middle class couples would not think of having more than 2 kids (this has been true for the last 15/20+ years) and now we are entering a phase where a small minority is choosing to go without kids, completely.[2] The total fertility rate in India has gone from 6 to 2.5 in the last 50 years. (Google for "total fertility rate india") Edit: One more thing - there are 11 states in India that are at or below a TFR of 2.1 [3]. Net net - far from a failure, India is making good progress. [1]: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-population-will-peak-at-1-7bn-in-2060-UN-study/articleshow/8164798.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indias-population-w... [2]: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/parenting/No-kids-please/articleshow/6859698.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/... [3]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_ranking_by_fertility_rate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_states_ranking_by_fertil...

mrweasel 11y ago
I did not know that. I would agree that going fertility rate from 6 to 2.5 is anything but a failure. It might take longer, but it's probably a much better solution that the "One child policy" in the long run.
hedgew 11y ago
It's well known that birth rate decreases as a nation's economic status increases. India has also gone through massive economic changes in the last 50 years, which is likely to have affected fertility rates much more than propaganda. I'd like to see studies with control groups before believing that voluntary methods can significantly impact fertility rates.
- param 11y ago
  Voluntary: done, given, or acting of one's own free will India's population control has been voluntary. Aside from a failed attempt in 1975 (declaration of emergency/forced castration of a negligible number of people), all of the decline in fertility in India has been voluntary.
meesterdude 11y ago
A most bodacious of comments! And spot on - education is a better solution than rules. We see the same changes in the US across class divides; poorer people are less educated and rear more children.

by param 11y ago

mrweasel 11y ago

I did not know that. I would agree that going fertility rate from 6 to 2.5 is anything but a failure. It might take longer, but it's probably a much better solution that the "One child policy" in the long run.

hedgew 11y ago

It's well known that birth rate decreases as a nation's economic status increases. India has also gone through massive economic changes in the last 50 years, which is likely to have affected fertility rates much more than propaganda. I'd like to see studies with control groups before believing that voluntary methods can significantly impact fertility rates.

param 11y ago
Voluntary: done, given, or acting of one's own free will India's population control has been voluntary. Aside from a failed attempt in 1975 (declaration of emergency/forced castration of a negligible number of people), all of the decline in fertility in India has been voluntary.

meesterdude 11y ago

A most bodacious of comments! And spot on - education is a better solution than rules. We see the same changes in the US across class divides; poorer people are less educated and rear more children.