The population debate

[VetDoctor]

The population debate
Hussain H Zaidi

The controversy generated by a contraceptive advertisement run by various TV channels – and the subsequent decision to take it off-air – highlights how divided our society is on the important question of birth control. Speaking with my friend Majid on this subject, I discovered he agreed with the suppression of the ‘controversial’ content. Here is a brief account of the exchange.
“Don’t you think population growth needs to be controlled in Pakistan?”, I threw the first question. “What makes you say that?” said Majid, clearing his throat.
“Well, with a population of more than 184 million, we’re the world’s sixth-most populated country. Given the national resources we have in our lot, our size shouldn’t have been more than 100 million – in fact even smaller. Our crude birth rate is 26.8 per thousand, while the average rate for the world is 20 per thousand. That is why the country is characterised by a large mismatch between wants and resources – the familiar economic problem of scarcity.
“Not only that, we lag far behind on other important indicators, such as area (36th), economic size (28th) and growth rate (144th), exports (68th), per-capita income (174th), investment-to-GDP ratio (178th), public debt (42nd), industrial growth rate (109th), life expectancy at birth (165th), and infant mortality rate (26th). We are ranked 142nd in terms of health expenditure as percentage of GDP and 82nd in terms of education expenditure as percentage of GDP. Nearly half the population is illiterate.” I tried to support my answer with as much data as I could recall.
“Your data doesn’t prove anything except that we’re a leader in terms of population and a laggard on other indicators. For me, the solution consists not in cutting back on the size of the population but rather in improving other areas”, Majid replied coolly.
Trying to convince him, I responded, “Yes, but our population growth and size don’t allow us to progress in other areas. No matter how many more schools and hospitals we set up, they will not match the number of people who visit them. No matter how many jobs we generate, they don’t match the number of unemployed. Even if thousands cross the poverty line, thousands more fall below it. Hence, not surprisingly, a large section of society remains deprived of health, education, clean drinking water and sanitation. This also accounts for our low ranking on most indicators relating to human resource development”.
Majid immediately returned, “Your argument is essentially flawed in that you assume – for no good reason – that a large population is a problem in itself. I, on the contrary, believe that population is a boon. Just look at China and India. They are the world’s two most heavily populated countries and are at the same time the world’s fastest growing economies. One is already a world power, while the other is a world power in the making. Don’t you see that every child that is born has one mouth to feed but two hands to work with? Human resource is the most valuable asset of a nation”.
He continued, “The only problem is to give a child good education and upbringing and later ensure him gainful employment. Failure to do so only brings out the ineffectiveness of the system and has nothing to do with high birth rate. In a country like ours, which is characterised by the extremes of wealth and poverty, whether with or without a high birth rate, a significant section of society will invariably lack access to a decent standard of living”.
Clarifying my position, “I think you got me wrong. I never said that a large population is inherently a problem. It’s a curse or blessing in relation to the resources available to feed the people. That’s precisely the reason that for every society there’s an optimal population level. A population 180 million people may be too high for as small or poor a country as Pakistan but may be too small for a big and rich country such as the US. That said, even a huge country like India has been trying to significantly lower its birth rate, while China has already done so. If a large population accounted for a country’s economic fortunes, the US would be the world’s most populated country followed by Japan and Germany.”
To this, Majid said, “You seem to be arguing that population size beyond a limit retards development. But isn’t it the other way round? Isn’t poverty the principal factor behind population explosion? Isn’t it true that the rich get richer and the poor get babies?” Majid asked.
“Here I largely agree with you. Birth rates are higher among the poor than the rich. By the same token, developed nations have been more successful than developing countries at population planning”, I responded. “However, the relationship between the level of income and development on the one hand and baby boom, on the other, goes either way. If poverty hampers birth control, population explosion impedes development. But this vicious circle of poverty and population has to be broken somewhere.
“And poor or underdeveloped nations can control their birth rates. Just look at the countries of South Asia, which are at more or less similar levels of incomes and development. In this region, Pakistan’s fertility rate at 3.4 percent is the highest. Compare this with that of India (2.5 percent), Bangladesh (2.2 percent), Bhutan (2.3 percent), the Maldives (1.7 percent), Nepal (2.6 percent), and Sri Lanka (2.2 percent). We also have the fastest population growth rate in the region – 2.03 percent. Compare – again – with India (1.3 percent), Bangladesh (1.3 percent), Bhutan (1.5 percent), the Maldives (1.3 percent), Nepal (1.7 percent), and Sri Lanka (0.8 percent). Even a country like Iran, where the clergy rule the roost, the fertility and population growth rates are 1.6 percent and one percent respectively, much below ours.”
“Why does Pakistan lag behind its neighbours in controlling the birth rate? Has it anything to do with our religious values?”, Majid asked.
“It has mainly to do with our culture, and religious values are a part of it. We are proud of large families – some look at them as an indicator of male power. We don’t look at the population explosion as a significant problem. That is why population planning is short-shrifted by the media as well politicians. To the best of my knowledge, population control doesn’t form part of the manifesto or agenda of any mainstream political party.
“In fact, by and large religious parties and the clergy brand population planning as a western conspiracy to depopulate the Muslim world. For a substantial portion of the population, discussion – public or private – on matters relating to birth control is a taboo. Not surprisingly, we have the lowest contraceptive prevalence rate in the region (at 30 percent). Compare this with that of Iran (73 percent), India (55 percent), Bangladesh (56 percent), Bhutan (66 percent), the Maldives (35 percent), Nepal (50 percent), and Sri Lanka (68 percent)”, I clarified.
The conversation thus came to an abrupt end.
The author is a freelance contributor.
Email: hussainhzaidi@gmail.com
http://e.thenews.com.pk/7-31-2013/page6.asp#;