Birth Control and Overpopulation in Developing Countries

Introduction: The Overpopulation Crisis in Underdeveloped Countries

According to Paul Ehrlich, as cited in the article "Too Many People," population issues in underdeveloped countries (UDCs) encompass rapid growth rates, birth rates vastly exceeding the death rate due to high percentages of young people, inadequate living standards, and serious problems stemming from high urban concentrations.

The consequences include resource depletion, ecosystem destruction, mass starvation, and a further deterioration of living standards. Although not directly articulated, Ehrlich also points to political instability, since rising expectations — driven by awareness of affluence in overdeveloped countries (ODCs) — cannot be realized. Ehrlich's conclusion is that the overpopulation crisis justifies the imposition of mandatory birth control measures in UDCs, measures that would result in zero population growth. While this view may initially seem undemocratic, it represents the only realistic way to cope with the situation. To illustrate this point, this paper explores the key objections to mandatory birth control and provides answers that affirm its validity.

Why Target Underdeveloped Countries Specifically?

Is it fair to target only UDCs? The answer must be yes, because they are the ones facing the largest problem. As Ehrlich explains, population doubling times in UDCs range from approximately twenty to thirty-five years. In contrast, doubling times in ODCs are dramatically higher, falling in the fifty to two-hundred-year range. To put this in perspective, five developing countries today account for more than fifty percent of the world's population increase: India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Nigeria.

Simply put, it makes sense to target the problem where it is occurring. Most ODCs can adequately nourish their populations; most UDCs cannot. Economic inequality is unfortunate, but it is a reality that demands a practical solution.

Can Raising Living Standards Replace Birth Control?

Why can't we simply raise the living standards of UDCs and preserve procreation as a basic human right? While it is true that as industrialization progressed in ODCs the number of children per family decreased, there is no hard evidence that economics was the primary driver of that decline — or that it was the only driver. Ehrlich acknowledges that certain economic factors, such as reduced reliance on child labor and the increased expense of raising and educating children, may have played a part in reducing birth rates in maturing ODCs. He also suggests there may have been a decline in the desire to have large families. However, the author does a poor job of describing the full range of factors that cause people to have many children, and his argument could have been greatly strengthened by incorporating non-economic considerations such as cultural, social, and religious influences.

For example, raising the standard of living may not overcome belief systems that measure a woman's worth by the number of children she bears, or that encourage early marriages leading to larger-than-average families. Family planning programs must therefore account for these deeply embedded social norms alongside economic development.

Conclusion: The Case for Mandatory Population Control

The imposition of mandatory birth control measures in underdeveloped countries, aimed at achieving zero population growth, is absolutely justified. Overpopulation in UDCs is out of control and its consequences are devastating. Focusing on any approach other than directly addressing population growth in UDCs will prove futile. Mandatory birth control does involve a trade-off between individual rights and the broader social good. It is a difficult decision, but it remains the only realistic alternative. Consumption cannot be easily controlled. Options such as reducing the population through death control are even more unacceptable, and technology cannot be counted on to solve this problem in the foreseeable future. For all these reasons, mandatory population control policies must move forward as quickly as possible.