Effects of National Population Policies

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AP Human Geography › Effects of National Population Policies

Questions 1 - 10
1

A population policy derived from eugenics is designed to __________.

favor the growth of one race over others within a society

provide incentives to families who have a small number of children

provide incentives to families who have a large number of children

deter people from using contraception on religious grounds

favor the growth of one gender over the other within a society

Explanation

Eugenics is the “science” of improving the human population by encouraging only a specific group of people to breed. It generally favors the growth of one race over others within a society. Eugenics was popular in Europe in the early twentieth century, but continues to be influential in some parts of the world to this day.

2

The “one child” policy is most closely associated with which of these countries?

China

India

Brazil

Russia

Pakistan

Explanation

China’s population grew immensely in the twentieth century from an already high starting point. In the 1970s, Chinese politicians began to worry that the population was growing too fast, and that soon China’s population growth would be out of control and the country would not be able to cope with the demand for resources. The government implemented a “one child” policy that provides incentives for parents who have only one child and punishments for those that have more. This is not uniformly enforced and has led to many social ills, but it has also curtailed China’s massive population growth.

3

Which of these policies would “Neo-Malthusians” most likely support?

Programs designed to limit family size to two children

Programs designed to provide educational opportunities to women

Programs designed to help migrants settle and assimilate in new communities

Programs designed to encourage technological innovation in agricultural production

Programs designed to provide aid to developing nations

Explanation

“Neo-Malthusians” generally adhere to Thomas Malthus’ Principle of Population, but have adapted it to suit the modern time period. “Neo-Malthusians” believe that the population of the world is growing too quickly for the scale of agricultural production to keep up. “Neo-Malthusians” advocate for programs and policies designed to control population growth, so they would be most likely to support a program that limits family size to two children.

4

Which of these countries is most likely to have enacted “expansive population policies”?

Sweden

Ghana

Bangladesh

Bolivia

Uganda

Explanation

An “expansive population policy” is an official government policy designed to encourage the population to conceive and raise multiple children. Unlike a “restrictive population policy,” its primary goal is to increase the rate of population growth to prevent the economic and social welfare problems that arise with an aging population. “Expansive population policies” are most common in Western and Northern Europe where birth rates are some of the lowest in the world. Countries like Sweden, France, the U.K., Germany, and Italy have some form of “expansive population policies” in place.

5

A country that makes universal public education a policy priority is likely to see __________.

a decline in the rate of population growth

an increase in the rate of population growth

a decline in the number of women in the workforce

an increase in the number of emigrants leaving the country

an increase in the total fertility rate

Explanation

Most studies and statistics on the subject demonstrate that any country that prioritizes education and providing universal access to education is likely to see a decline in the rate of its population growth. This is because as people become better educated they have more opportunities open to them and more control over their lives - this is particularly significant for women. Women who are well-educated are less likely to have unplanned pregnancies, less likely to have large families, and more likely to start those families at a later age. All of this contributes to a decline in the rate of population growth, or, in geographic parlance, a decline in the “natural increase rate.”

6

In the United States, the census is conducted __________.

every ten years

every five years

every four years

once a year

every six months

Explanation

A census is an official government survey of the population of a government’s country. It usually includes questions about race, gender, religious identity, income, and a great many other things. In the United States, it is conducted every ten years and is used to determine representation in Congress (among other things).

7

Which of these has not been a feature of China's one child policy?

All of these options have been features of the one child policy.

Forced abortions

Fines levied for violations

Inspections

Awareness campaigns

Explanation

China's one-child policy has historically featured all of the following: awareness campaigns, inspections, fines, and forced abortions.

8

Population policies vary by government. One example of a population policy is a eugenic policy. What is a eugenic policy?

A policy that favors one racial group within the population

A policy limiting the amount of children per family

A policy encouraging marriage and the maintenance of traditional family units

A policy encouraging reproduction and population growth

A policy restricting immigration in order to halt rapid population growth

Explanation

Eugenic policies favor one racial group and may lead to the subjugation of other groups with less political or social capital. One example is the Nazi Germany policy favoring people of Aryan descent over other ethnic and cultural groups.

9

When did the eugenics movement occur in the United States?

1880s - 1930s

1820s - 1880s

1930s - 1960s

2000s - present

1770s - 1820s

Explanation

Eugenics involve the set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of the human race. During the Progressive Era eugenics was accepted as a method of preserving and improving the dominant population groups. Today, eugenics is associated with racist and nativist elements.

10

Countries that discourage or ban the use of contraceptives are more likely to experience which of the following?

I. Gender inequality

II. High birth rates

III. High death rates

I, II, and III

I only

II only

I and III only

II and III only

Explanation

Countries that discourage or ban the use of contraceptives are more likely to experience all of the provided answer options. High death rates result from the rampant spread of sexual disease, particularly AIDS. High birth rates result from the inability of women to control the reproductive process, which is of course linked to gender inequality. Many sociologists and historians agree that the relatively rapid increase in gender equality in many parts of the world in the last fifty years has been primarily caused by the availability of contraception, which allows women to dictate when, and with whom, they have children.

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