Last year
the world population reached 7 billion people. With the population constantly growing,
having some control over the population might be a good idea. Other parts of
the world have tired this before and the most notably being China putting a
limit on the number of children families can have and preferring boys. In the
mid 1970s India also went on a sterilizing spree and had quotas to meet to help
try and control the population. These two examples are both very drastic and I think
that there are ways to help control the population without taking these kinds
of measures.
People need
to worry about the population because it helps control economical development. If
the population is too large then schools and hospitals don’t function properly
and there is not enough housing for everyone. Nigeria is one of the six most
populous cities with 167 million people living there and is currently testing
on how to help control the population. Last year the city started giving out contraceptives
for free. The government has previously recommended that families limited
families to four children, but this had little effect.
Different cultures
are the main reason why recommendations of a smaller family have gone
unchanged. In Africa a large family is a sign of wealth and prosperity. These
cultural differences have just divided the rich and the poor even more. The
poorer populations just keep having more children, while the richer populations
have realized they can no longer afford have lots of children. People are
finally realizing it costs a lot to raise a child.
I think
that things need to be done to help curb the population growth, but within
measures. Offering free contraceptives like in Nigeria I think is a good idea
to help curb the population growth. I do believe that what China has done in
making a law on the number of children a family can have is drastic and not a
good way to go about this problem. I don’t know of many other ways besides
offering free or more easily accessible contraceptives to people to help with
population control. Many people don’t want the government to get too involved,
but there are ways other ways to help control the population besides laws. If
our population keeps growing as much as it is now it is projected that by 2100
our world population will be over 10 billion. With that many people economies,
schools and hospitals will all have trouble running. Many people will be without
food or shelter. If people would be more aware on how much it costs, the
consequences and responsibilities of having children then maybe some people
will think twice about wanting so many children.
I would agree that its scary how world population is growing, but I don't feel like we need to make any major moves on controlling it. As you said, China has definitely taken it too far and the system they have isn't what we would want to have here. I don't think it's right to limit the amount of children a person can have because it infringes on human rights. In the United States, the enormous populations of the major cities on the coasts are somewhat equalled out by the states where less than two million people reside in each state. The other countries can do what they want to control their own population, but I don't think the United States needs to make any major changes from what we're currently doing (or not doing) about the subject.
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