World Development Report 1984

Part II Population Change and Development
4 Demographic change and public policy
Most families in developing countries now have at of children are low, the economic (and other) beneleast
four children, in rural areas five and more, fits of children are high, and having many children
enough to ensure rates of population growth makes economic sense.
above 2 percent a year. To cut population growth First, where wages are low, the difference
means to reduce the number of children in an aver- between children's and mother's earnings will be
age family, which many governments are trying to small; income lost by the mother during a child's
do. India adopted a formal population policy in infancy may be easily recouped by the child later
1952, Korea in 1961. China, Indonesia, and Mexico on. In poor rural areas, especially, children can
have developed comprehensive policies in the past help a lot. Nepalese village boys and girls of six to
ten to fifteen years. But other governments have eight years work three to four hours a day caring
been more tentative. In much of Latin America for farm animals and helping with younger sibpolitical
support for family planning is ambiguous; lings. Javanese teenagers work eight to ten hours a
most countries in Africa have no particular demo- day. Many Bangladeshi children work even longer
graphic objectives. Should there be public concern hours; children in the Philippines and in Sri
and governmental action to reduce population Lanka, where fertility is lower, work somewhat
growth? Along with public efforts to reduce mor- less. Sometimes children may also earn cash
tality, should governments try to reduce fertility, incomes. In the Philippines those in their late teens
and if so, what are appropriate policies to do so? contribute as much to household cash income as
To answer these questions requires an under- do adults. And much of women's traditional
standing of, first, why fertility is high and, second, work-in farming, crafts, and petty retailing-can
why the resulting rapid population growth slows be combined with looking after children. Other
development. Part II of this Report will show that family members, including older siblings, are readit
is the poor, with little education, low and inse- ily available to help.
cure income, and poor health and family planning In developed countries, by contrast, a major cost
services, who have many children; yet it is also the of children to parents is time lost from work-usupoor
who lose out as rapid population growth ally by the mother-or the cost, inconvenience,
hampers development. It is this seeming paradox and uncertainty of finding child care. Nor do chilthat
provides the starting point for designing pub- dren contribute much to household chores and
lic policies to reduce fertility. income as they grow up. One study of an American
city and its suburbs found that children twelve
The setting for high fertility to seventeen years old spend one hour a day doing
housework, those aged six to eleven just half an
Why do the poor have many children? Consider hour.
the issue from the point of view of parents and A second reason that having many children can
potential parents. All parents everywhere get plea- make economic sense is the lack of schooling
sure from children. But children involve economic opportunities, particularly from the age of twelve
costs; parents have to spend time and money or so. For young children of primary-school age,
bringing them up. Children are also a form of school can often be combined with work in the
investment-providing short-term benefits if they house or on the farm, especially if there is a school
work during childhood, long-term benefits if they in the village. But the choice between school and
support parents in old age. There are several good work becomes harder as children grow up. If they
reasons why, for poor parents, the economic costs do not go to secondary school, they can work more
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