Family Planning: Reform and Revolution

Abstract

Family planning in developing countries particularly in Latin America is discussed. 2 questions are asked: 1) Is social and economic development sufficient for fertility declines? and 2) Is such development necessary if they are to take place? Countries undergoing development in the West have gone through a demographic transition which eventuates in low rates of population growth. In Haiti where poverty is extreme and the likelihood of change is insignificant the cost of additional children is near zero. However probably very little economic and social development would be needed in Haiti before family planning would become feasible and desirable. The difference between Haiti and India is less in per capita product than in the perception of possible self improvement. It is concluded that not much economic development is a necessary antecedent to fertility decline. For family planning programs to be effective they should accelerate the economic development. Birth control should be a simple additive to energetic measures of a social and economic nature which act really to raise the level of living of the people. The writer suggests that modest economic improvements along with disproportionate increases in aspirations produce revolutions and that family planning is likely to trip off or accelerate such benefits.