GLOBALIZATION,

DEMOGRAPHY,
AND FAMILY PLANNING
“Globalization is the process by which the
international exchange of goods, services,
capital, technology and knowledge becomes
increasingly interconnected.”
--https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management-textbook/globalization-and-business-14/globalization-101/defining-globalization-469-3957/

WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION?
-How many people, of what kind and where?
-How come?
-So what?
BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET US ASK THESE QUESTIONS…
Topics are part of our experience
Jennifer Lindquist et al., Demography, p.2

When and where were you born? How many others were born in your generation?
What is your gender and how will that identity shape the rest of your life?
How old were you (or will you be) when you had your first sex? How often do you have sex and
do you use contraception?
Will you have children? How many? Will you have grandchildren? Will you be alive to see your
grandchildren?
What of job will you have? How often will you change jobs? At what age will you retire?
How many times will you move in your lifetime? Will you ever move abroad?
How long will you be healthy in your life? When will you die? How will you die?
THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF POPULATION AND SOCIETY

“Demography is concerned with everything that

influences or can be influenced by population size,
distribution, process, structure, or characteristics.”
--John R. Weeks, Population, p. 4
WHAT IS DEMOGRAPHY ?
Population Size (Absolute)
Population Distribution (Relative)
Population Density
KEY CONCEPTS 1
Population Composition
-Traits that do not change or not easily changed (age, sex)
-Traits that are inherently related to altering size and composition (births, deaths, migration)
-Traits used as a basis for ascribed social roles (age, sex, ethnicity, education, wealth,
occupation, income, and so forth)
-Traits defined by government concerned with economic welfare (employment, hours of
work, agricultural status), or vulnerable groups (poor), or identifiable social groups
(religious affiliation, native language, national origin)
KEY CONCEPTS 2
 Population Growth (open and closed)
-Closed and Open Populations
Population Event

KEY CONCEPTS 3
Population Event
Each concept in measuring population growth is a population event. But these are individual
events. To make them expressions of an underlying process, demographers compute rates, like:

CRUDE BIRTH RATE

CRUDE DEATH RATE
NET MIGRATION RATE
POPULATION GROWTH RATE
DEMOGRAPHY AND GLOBALIZATION:
A SYMMETRIC RELATIONSHIP
SOME CONNECTIONS
● Fuelled by technology, globalization has influenced the pace of
development, spurring faster growth in some countries and retarding
growth in others.

● Europe and North America benefitted most from market integration

spawned by globalization as early as the 19th century.

● In the long run, all regional groups (including Asia and Oceania)
benefitted from globalization. In the short to medium-run, some groups
lost because of competition from other countries
SOME EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON POPULATION
 SOME EFFECTS (+/-) OF GLOBALIZATION ON POPULATION

ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS RISE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY

HEALTH/NUTRITION DISEASE PREVENTION & CONTROL
HEALTH CARE

URBAN GROWTH
URBANIZATION EXPANSION OF OPPORTUNITIES
EXAMPLE TEXT

AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT
ECONOMIC LIFE RISE IN FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
DEVELOPMENT RATE OF INVESTMENT

INCREASED ENROLLMENT
EDUCATION & LITERACY FEMALE IN SCHOOLS
GROWTH OF HUMAN CAPITAL

LOWER FERTILITY
POPULATION DYNAMICS FEWER DEATHS
SPREAD OF DISEASES MIGRATON POLICIES

21 I
Let us examine this relationship closer.

Demographic Transition
“The process whereby a country moves from high birth and
death rates to low birth and death rates with an interstitial
spurt in population growth.”
-- John R. Weeks, Population, p. 600.
T H E M O D E L I S B A S E D O N W H AT H A P P E N E D TO E U R O P E A N D N O R T H A M E R I C A F R O M E A R L I E S T
TIMES.
T H I S M E A N S T H AT E U R O P E A N D N O R T H A M E R I C A W O U L D B E I N T H E L AT E R S TA G E S O F
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION WHILE THOSE IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES A RE STILL THE
E A R LY S TA G E S O F T H E T R A N S I T I O N P R O C E S S .
What is the effect of globalization
on the demographic transition?
SOME EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON POPULATION
 19th Century
 Europe and North America integrated
with the global market. Rise in living
standards, coupled with the diffusion
of public health care, also raised life
expectancies.
 Diffusion increased as globalization
reduces transport and communication
costs with telegraph and telephone.
Incomes rise further, and population
grows.
 Globalization directly raised death rates
in these other countries because of the
spread of pathogens from the West.
Europe survived due to improved
knowledge; Japan was isolated; but the
rest suffered badly. Death rates rose
despite some growth in incomes and
living standards.
1930s/WW2 Post WW2
• After World War II, several nations
become more integrated with global
markets and recovered quickly.
Among these were South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and
Singapore, all of which showed
fertility rates. As a result, these
countries moved to the demographic
transition phase.
 But a ”de-linking” between
demography and development
occurred. Many countries achieved
higher life expectancies, as well as
declines in fertility and mortality than
before. But because living standards
did not improve as fast and because of
low market integration, they remained
poor.
 What made birth and death rates
converge in the West?
CHICAGO THEORY OF THE BABY BOOM EASTERLIN’S THEORY OF THE BABY BOOM
◦ After the war, incomes rose and increased the ◦ Economic recovery after World War II increased the demand
demands for children. Women’s income was for workers at the same time that a small cohort of workers
(those born during the Depression) were entering the labor
also rising but not much as most women were force. This resulted in rising wages and higher fertility.
not part of the labor force. ◦ But the children of these children also had higher fertility,
continuing the baby boom. As these baby boomers entered
the labor force, wages declined and so did fertility.
◦ In the 1950s and 1960s, more women joined
the labor force attracted to rising wages. This
made the “price” of children higher, and led to
lower fertility rates. And since death rates
were already declining, the two rates
converged causing the demographic transition.
What is the effect of population on
globalization?
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SYMMETRIC RELATIONSHIP
 EFFECT OF POPULATION ON GLOBALIZATION
COLONIZATION
Countries with increased population
led to land shortages which
colonization helped to redress.
Colonization meant migrations to
new land-rich and in many instances,
the depopulation (and subjugation)
of natives. It also resulted in mixed
marriages, and the spread of disease.
Other countries – with larger
economies – had enough resources
to lead expeditions and conquests to
expand their wealth and power.
FACTOR
ENDOWMENTS LABOR FORCE
GROWTH RATES
Countries lacking in one of these
The relationship between labor force
endowments may “cooperate” with
growth rates (LFGR) and population
countries who are rich in other
growth rates (PGR) is usually positive.
endowments. One way is through
But certain Asian countries
overseas migration where countries
experienced low PGR but high LFGR
with much capital seek help from
rates owing to (a) the growth of the
countries with much labor.
working-age population and (b)
.
increased female participation in the
Countries with early DT tend to have
labor force.
relative endowed physical and
human capital. In turn, countries
At very high PGR, the growth of the
with late DT are relatively well
working age population is slow. But as
endowed with labor..
PGRs decline, the working age
population grows faster.
Countries with early DT tend to be
labor importers, capital exporters,
Countries with rapid PGR's and high
and producers of capital-intensive
dependency ratios (DR) have been
goods and services. In turn,
highly endowed with labor and less
countries with late DT tend to be
with capital. In contrast, countries will
labor exporters, capital importers,
lower PGR and low DRs are highly
and producers of labor-intensive
endowed with capital and less with
goods and services.
labor.
 Future Trends
Aging populations: will this spur more migration from developing countries?
What if developing countries also reach the demographic transition, will there
be workers to spare or will new sources be tapped? Refugees?
Shift in global distribution of the population: shift from the West to countries in
Asia and Africa. Will this mean a greater control of global manufacturing from
the West to these countries? Will this prompt the West to entrap more these
countries into the globalization net?
Continuing growth. Despite lower fertility and death rates, the world population
continues to grow, especially in developing countries. And poverty and
inequality persist among and within countries. This growth will continue to tax
environmental resources, especially finite ones.
 The Philippines and Globalization
Where do we stand?
◦ We are in Stage 3 of the demographic transition.
◦ Despite falling birth rates, our fertility rate remains high and grows
exponentially.
◦ As a result, we remain a “young” population with high dependency ratios
relative to the working age population. Globally, we are disadvantaged.
◦ The working age population is not only relatively small, it also operates in a
context of relatively low capital and low rates of investment. Our strong asset
is our labor and that we deploy to the extent that we have a negative net
migration rate. Female labor force rates is rising but not fast enough.
◦ Our resources (water, energy, agricultural lands, forests) are taxed.
◦ Is reduction in population the answer? Will this make us globally
competitive?
-What will make couples use
contraceptives?
-What is the role of development?
-Why do couples have children?
NAGGING QUESTIONS
Why do couples have children?
Alternatively, what is the “demand” for children?
◦ Insurance. Some children die, so it’s good to have a reserve pool.
◦ Cost of raising children is low. In fact, children may constitute a net gain
whose income from work may offset costs of child rearing
◦ Children are seen as a guarantee of material and social assistance.
◦ Cultural context demands children as an affirmation of family, gender
fulfilment, generational continuation, an expression of religious principles, as
a vehicle for marital bonding.
◦ Play catch up. Women start childbearing later at an older age.
◦ Ignorance of birth control methods, unavailability of contraceptives,
inadequate medical and health services (which sometimes lead people to
have abortions). Legislation (and powerful opposition) to prevent the spread
of contraceptives.
What will make couples not want to have a
child (or many children)?
Alternatively, how can we lower the demand for
children?
WHAT IF WE WANT TO CONTROL GROWTH FURTHER?
 Some ways to lower demand
1. Reduce death rates further. Also place a great importance on medical, health, and nutritional services for
mothers and current children.

2. Increase the “relative cost” of child rearing. Expand female education and get more women to earn
wages so that would be less willing to give up income for a child (or another child). Make child schooling
compulsory. Make parents invest more in children’s well-being.

3. Set up mechanisms for social protection to reduce the need to support parents in their old age.

4. Give incentives for small family sizes.

5. Eliminate legal obstacles to birth control, actively support family support family programs, making
contraceptives affordable and psychologically acceptable.
What about development efforts?
Can we just engage in development
and abandon family planning?

W E N E E D A CO M B I N AT I O N O F M A N Y S T R AT EG I ES , B U T W H AT CO M B I N AT I O N I S FO R
U S TO D EC I D E . C L EA R LY, A M O D E R N FA M I LY P L A N N I N G P RO G R A M I S N OT
E N O U G H . S T I L L T H E S U C C ES S O F T H ES E “ LOW D E M A N D ” S T R AT EG I ES W I L L A L S O
D E P E N D O N T H E S O C I A L CO N T E X T, S P EC I F I C A L LY A CO U N T RY ’ S S TAT E O F
D E V E LO P M E N T.
 Summing up the evidence
1. Fertility is driven by motivation and desires.
2. Contraception is a necessary technical instrument for controlling fertility
but its availability – all factors being equal -- has little impact for
controlling fertility or even unwanted fertility.
3. Policies directed to lower fertility must be “demand” oriented , trying to
influence the factors that determine the propensities, desires, and
motivations of couples.
4. The precise mix of policies and strategies is a society’s choice – if it is
serious about fertility decline.
 Conclusion
CHOICE AND CONSTRAINTS
The issue perhaps is not whether we should regulate fertility or focus on development instead.
Rather, how do we help couples make choices given the larger constraints that a continued high
population growth rate will lead us in this global age?
We are aware of these constraints. Personal, social, economic, environmental, global.
But do people as a whole do not perceive these constraints. These are long-term effects, not
immediate ones. When it comes to the cost of children, we experience price distortion. Or
people are detached from the problem? Or that the inclusion of family planning in the college
curriculum is not taken seriously.
What can be done to make people perceive the constraints? How can we serve couples who
choose to limit the number of children?