On Tue, 4 Apr 1995, Brian A. Luke wrote:
> There is an association between development and reproductive rate,
> but I don't suppose it's because the middle class takes care of their
> children and poor people don't. In immiserated areas the infant
> mortality rate can be higher, leading to a need for more births to
> assure more kids making it to adulthood. Also, if there is no social
> security net for old age, kids may be needed to provide for the
> parents' old age. Finally, in some immiserated situations kids may
> be needed for their contribution to household labor (as
> opposed to the middle-class situation in europe/north america, where
> kids use more household resources than they contribute).
>
> These points are important because they clarify what is needed for
> population stabilization. It is NOT turning the whole world middle
> class according to the first world standards of consumption (this,
> obviously, would be disastrous ecologically). It is turning the
> whole world middle class in terms of economic justice such as access
> to nutrition, basic health care, social security in old age, etc.
> In situations of general economic security and stability, and
> women's access to birth control and positions of status other than
> as breeders, communities tend to stabilize their population levels.
>
Very, very good point! I agree completely.
Jayne Docherty
