World Development Report 1984
World Development Report 1984
World Development Report 1984
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themselves and, by caring for younger siblings, today's production into consumption many years<br />
allow their mothers to work more. The apparent hence that is less risky than are bank accounts,<br />
disadvantages of secondary schooling are com- credit instruments, and precious metals, all of<br />
pounded if children must live away from home or which are subject to theft, inflation, and the jealtravel<br />
long distances to get to school. ousies of neighbors. Even land has to be managed<br />
As parents' income rises, as schooling opportu- to provide income and, in any case, may require<br />
nities improve, and as education becomes more children to work on it and make it a secure asset.<br />
clearly the key to future success for children, par- Fifth, in some developing countries family sysents<br />
everywhere send their children to school and tems may encourage high fertility. Early marriage<br />
keep them there longer. In turn they often have and childbearing are easier if the new couple can<br />
fewer children-because schooling itself and the begin married life in the household of the husloss<br />
of children's help are costly, and because hav- band's parents. For young women who have few<br />
ing two or three educated children becomes a other options, early marriage and many children<br />
better "investment" (for the parents and for the may be the safest route to a satisfying adulthood<br />
children too) than having many who cannot be and a relatively secure old age. In Africa, support<br />
educated. from many relatives for children's education<br />
High infant and child mortality are a third reason reduces the high economic burden of raising chilfor<br />
having many children. Although mortality has dren that potential parents would otherwise bear.<br />
fallen, in many parts of the developing world it is A sixth factor encouraging high fertility among<br />
still high. One out of five children dies before the poor is their limited information about, and<br />
reaching the age of one in some parts of Africa; access to, effective and safe means of contracepone<br />
out of seven in much of Bangladesh, India, tion. The very idea of birth control may be<br />
and Pakistan. Parents may feel the need to have unknown or frowned upon. Modern contracepmany<br />
babies to be sure that a few survive. Where tives may be unknown or simply not available. If<br />
boys are more important than girls-say, for secu- available, they may be expensive, particularly in<br />
rity in old age-parents may need to have five chil- relation to the incomes of the poor-and especially<br />
dren to be sure that one son survives. Yet in poor if they must be bought from private doctors. For a<br />
families many births, especially if they are close poor family, limiting the number of children may<br />
together, may increase the probability of infant therefore mean sexual abstinence, illegal abortion,<br />
deaths by weakening both mother and babies. infanticide-or, at best, ineffective and difficult tra-<br />
Fourth, poor parents are worried about who will ditional contraception. In some circumstances, the<br />
take care of them when they are old or ill. In Indo- psychological or financial costs of avoiding pregnesia,<br />
Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Tur- nancy may exceed the costs of having another<br />
key 80 to 90 percent of parents surveyed said they child.<br />
expect to rely on their children to support them in Discussion of children as an "investment"<br />
their old age. In Egypt, especially in rural areas, should not imply that parents in developing counpoor<br />
and uneducated parents are much more tries are influenced only by economic considerlikely<br />
to expect to live with (and be supported by) ations. In every society children bring parents sattheir<br />
children when they are old than are rich and isfaction and pleasure. In poor settings, economic<br />
educated parents. For many adults, the need for gain (where there is any) need not be the main<br />
support in their old age outweighs the immediate cause of high fertility; it is more likely that ecocosts<br />
of children. nomic gain (or a small economic loss) simply pre-<br />
One reason parents look to children for help in vents any interest in having fewer children. The<br />
disability and old age is the lack of safe alterna- social and political functions of large families are<br />
tives. In developed countries there are trusted also important, especially in poor rural areas. For<br />
institutions (banks, pensions, government bonds, better-off farmers in Bangladesh, children repreinsurance,<br />
and mutual aid societies) that help indi- sent opportunities for the family's occupational<br />
viduals to earn today and to save and spend diversification and hence for expansion or consolitomorrow.<br />
In poor countries, capital markets are dation of its local power; a large family also has an<br />
not nearly so well developed. In parts of South advantage in land disputes. In Latin America, by<br />
Asia, there is no tradition of community support; the tradition of compadrazgo, or ritual coparentelsewhere,<br />
community support is weakening as hood, families serve as godparents to the children<br />
mobility increases. For the rural poor, children are of allies and friends, securing ritual bonds that are<br />
the best possible annuity, a way to transform as important as blood ties in cementing alliances.<br />
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