Explain the concept of the demographic transition, and discuss its applicability to different types of societies

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Demographic transition is the process by which some societies have moved from high

birth and death rates to relatively low birth and death rates as a result of technological

development. The demographic transition takes place in four stages of economic

development: Stage 1: Preindustrial societies—little population growth occurs because

high birth rates are offset by high death rates. Food shortages, poor sanitation, and lack

of adequate medical care contribute to high rates of infant and child mortality. Stage 2:

Early industrialization—significant population occurs because birth rates are relatively

high whereas death rates decline. Improvements in health, sanitation, and nutrition

reduce infant mortality rates. Overpopulation is likely to occur because death declines

while births remain high. Stage 3: Advanced industrialization and urbanization—very

little population growth occurs because both birth rates and death rates are low. The

birth rate declines as couples control their fertility through contraceptives and become

less likely to adhere to religious directives against their use. Children are not viewed as

an economic asset? they consume income rather than produce it. Societies in this stage

attain zero population growth, but the actual number of births per year may still rise due

to an increased number of women of childbearing age. Stage 4: Postindustrialization—

birth rates continue to decline as more women gain full-time employment and the cost

of raising children continues to increase. The population grows very slowly, if at all,

because the decrease in birth rates is coupled with a stable death rate. Critics argue

that this model applies best to the process of development in Western countries.