Toward a U.S. population policy

The gratifying media results from a concerted national and local publicity effort when Zero Population Growth (ZPG) released its recommendations for a national population policy are reported. Support was received from 10 members of Congress and local leaders. 8 ZPG chapters and the Washington office held press conferences casting the meaning of increased population growth in regional terms. In Cincinnati, ZPG focused on the shortage of landfill space, in San Francisco the water shortage, and in Massachusetts the rapid urbanization of prime farmland. The Congressmen emphasized that the U.S. must have a comprehensive population policy before it can tell other countries they must. Among the ZPG policies recommended are: zero population growth by 2008, increased funding for family planning services and education, special programs for teenagers, greater public education on population dynamics, increased funding for contraceptive research, enforcement of existing immigration laws, comprehensive review of immigration policy, equal rights for women, and more equitable income tax policy.     

The population debate: A survey of opinions of a professional organization's membership

In analyzing results of a survey concerning population issues taken among members of an organization devoted to the scientific study of population, namely, the Population Association of America, we found high agreement that: (1) world population growth was much too high, (2) many of today's serious problems are caused by overpopulation, and (3) the U.S. should help any requesting country establish programs to curtail growth. There was no consensus, however, on issues such as: (1) ideal population size, (2) family planning as the most reasonable means of reducing population growth, (3) the need to initiate coercive birth control immediately, (4) redistribution of resources as a long-term solution to overpopulation, (5) how to solve population problems in time to avoid widespread catastrophe, and (6) whether the U.S. should exert pressure on other countries to establish a family planning program as a prerequisite to economic aid. These findings apply with few exceptions to four subcategories of members defined on the basis of extent of demographic training and employment.     

Theory and methods in China's population policy]

Before 1949, China's population development was noted for its high birth rate, high death rate, and low natural growth rate. After 1949, the death rate showed a large-scale decline, the birth rate was maintained at a high level, and natural growth rate also remained high. Between 1949 and 1973, the natural growth rate was kept above a 2% annual rate. Since then, the need for population control has become increasingly obvious. The theory and methods of China's population policy can be summarized in the following points: (1) material production has to keep up with the pace of population growth, and that means the quantity and quality of the population have to match athe production of materials needed for life and consumption; (2) in a Socialist society, material production and population growth have to develop with well-designed plans; (3) the population question has a direct impact on social and economic development; (4) through enforcement of a national policy, cooperation from different individuals, and ideological education, family planning will gradually be accepted by the general public for the well-being of the country.     

Backing seen of population policy in AID

Congress is almost certain to agree to use of U.S. funds to motivate reduced population growth in developing countries but funding for sterilization abroad emerged as a political issue in the House. In the proposed U.S. AID budget, which in the past has been about 10% funded for direct population programs, a total concern with literacy for women, higher educational levels, and other developmental programs which increase motivation for family planning has been proposed. Zero Population Growth has sent telegrams to Congress supporting this basic development policy. The controversy over sterilization is the result of India's compulsory sterilization legislation. An amendment refusing to allow any U.S. funds to be used for sterilization programs was rejected, but in rejecting it, the members of the House of Representatives expressed their concern that any and all sterilization programs be completely voluntary. In a letter, AID Deputy Administrator Robert Nooter assured Congress that AID has no goals to sterilize any certain number of women around the world and it is not the main purpose of the AID program to to emphasize sterilization as a method of family planning.     

土地制度创新与欠发达地区农村的人口控制

本文主要研究了土地产权制度安排与计生工作的相关性,首先从定点调研社区的人地关系矛盾入手;然后,回顾了不同的土地制度对人口发展的相关性影响,重点阐述土地产权制度控制人口的工作机理,分析社区目前和未来影响土地产权制度发挥控制人口作用的因素;最后,从制度创新的功能和作用的角度,提出完善人口控制机制的建议和措施。     

超低生育率阶段的区域人口发展战略

随着我国人口转变的实现和完成,越来越多的地方进入了"超低生育率"发展阶段,未来时期的人口发展战略面临着何去何从的抉择。以辽宁省辽阳市为案例总结区域人口转变的阶段和特点,指出辽阳已经出现"意愿性超低生育率"现象,带来了人口发展风险问题。随着计划生育风险家庭和残缺家庭的增多,辽阳的公共财政压力已经感受到巨大挑战。人口安全要求坚守计划生育的"底线伦理",降低计划生育风险家庭和残缺家庭在整个计划生育家庭中的规模和比例。未来的区域人口安全发展战略必须考虑确立的两个基本点是"优先健全人口结构、兼顾控制人口增量",不鼓励农村一女户放弃二胎生育指标,尽快建立独生子女家庭风险防范的社会机制和独生子女困难家庭公益救助机制。     

Major studies on population authorized by United States Congress

The Office of Technology Assessment, acting on a request from the U.S. Congress, will undertake 2 major population studies in the near future. The goal of the studies will be to facilitate U.S. policy formulation over the next couple of decades. The 1st study will attempt 1) to assess the impact of efforts make by national government to alter birth rates between 1960-1980; 2) to predict the effects of population growth utilizing different assumptions concerning family planning; 3) to identify the types of population issues which will emerge in the period 1980-2000; and 4) identify research priorities aimed at clarifying these issues. The 2nd study will 1) investigate current contraceptive technology; 2) attempt to define a perfect contraceptive; and 3) examine the prospects of contraceptive technology between 1980-2000.     

Exceptional contributions to US science by the foreign-born and foreign-educated

This paper contributes to the debate on high-skilled migration byexamining whether the foreign-born and foreign-educated are disproportionatelyrepresented among individuals making exceptional contributions to science and engineering (S & E) in the U.S. Six indicators of scientific achievement areused: individuals elected to the National Academy of Sciences and/or National Academy of Engineering, authors of citation classics, authors of hot papers, the 250 most-cited authors, authors of highly cited patents, and scientistswho have played a key role in launching biotechnology firms. We do not claim that this list is exhaustive, merely illustrative. Using a variety of sources, we are able to determine the birth andeducational origin of 89.3% of the study group of over 4,500 scientists and engineers. For each indicator of scientific achievement, we test to see if the observed frequency by birth (or educational) origin is significantly differentfrom the frequency one would expect given the composition of the scientific labor force in the U.S. We find that although there is some variation by discipline, individuals making exceptional contributions to S & E in the U.S. aredisproportionately drawn from the foreign born. Only in the instance of hot papers in the life sciences were we unable to reject the null hypothesis that the proportion is the same as that in the underlying population. The most frequent country of origin in the life sciences is Great Britain followed by Germany. In the physical sciences the reverse is true. We also find that individuals making exceptional contributions are, in many instances, disproportionately foreign educated, both at the undergraduate and at the graduate level. We conclude that immigrants have been a source of strength and vitalityfor U.S. science and, on balance, the U.S. appears to have benefited from the educational investments made by other countries. We do not investigate, however, whether U.S. scientists and engineers have borne part of thecost of the inflow of foreign talent by being displaced from jobs and/or earning lower wages. Nor do we investigate the cost to the countries of origin.     

中国人口出生控制成效的比较分析

中国 ①的计划生育工作起始于 2 0世纪 5 0年代。从 1 95 5年到 1 971年 ,中国推行的是一般性的家庭计划生育政策 ,从 1 971年至今 ,中国推行的是家庭计划生育与国家计划生育相结合的政策。如果不实行任何形式的计划生育政策 ,2 0 0 0年末中国人口将会达到 1 8 5 8亿 ,如果象印度那样只倡导自愿实行家庭计划生育 ,将会达到 1 5 3 2亿。过去 45年中 ,中国一共少生了 5 88亿人 ,其中由于实行国家计划生育政策少生了 2 6 2亿人 ,而一般性的家庭计划生育政策少生了 3 2 6亿人。计划生育为中国的社会经济发展做出了巨大的贡献     

东北亚区域人力资源开发与合作研究

几十年来,东北亚各国实现了持续的经济发展,同时也经历了急剧的人口变动。在经济增长和社会变迁过程中,各国的生育率持续下降,人口结构发生了相应的变化,已经面临新的人口发展趋势和新的人口问题。人力资源是第一资源,人力资源已经成为社会经济发展的核心资源。人力资源的开发与合作是东北亚区域经济合作中不可分割的重要组成部分。通过加强东北亚区域的人力资源合作,促进区域内人力资源的开发和利用,可以进一步推动东北亚区域的经济交流与合作。东北亚区域人力资源的合作具有很大潜力。由于几十年来人口动态与人口结构的变化,东北亚区域在人力资源方面具有很强的互补性,所以开展区域内人力资源的开发与合作,具有现实的可能性和必要性。随着经济的日益全球化和区域经济合作的不断发展,广泛开展东北亚区域各个领域的交流与合作,将有利于该区域社会经济的可持续发展。     

A better future is ahead of us

China's family planning program is implemented under the unified leadership of the Chinese government. The main responsibilities under this program are to set up and strengthen family planning offices at all levels, formulate relevent laws and regulations, work out programs, principles, and policies for population growth, carry out intensive publicity and education, speed up scientific and technological research on family planning, and mobilize all the people and related departments to support the work of family planning. Family planning in China is practised on a voluntary basis. Education on patriotism is conducted among the people to enable them to see that strict control of population growth and conscious practice of family planning according to policy have a crucial bearing on China's prosperity and well being. As shown in practice, China has not only succeeded in maintaining sustained and steady economic growth, but has also succeeded in drastically reducing the population birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate, and in extending average life expectancy. This demonstrates the superiority of China's socialist system. To control the growth of the population is an extremely arduous task. However, as long as China keeps to a practical and effective policy, the goal of keeping the total population at around 1.2 billion by the end of the century can be attained.     

Carrying out the number seven directive of C.C.C.C.P., spreading comprehensive measures of birth control]

This report examines how the Yi Yang District of Hunan Province carried out the Central Commitee of the Chinese Communist Party's No. 7 Directive, i.e., the directive requiring the people of the county to take comrehensive measures, as opposed to single methods, to promote birth control. Yi Yang District officials in charge of Family Planning established a new and comprehensive program promoting birth control, stressing 4 major points: 1) a voluntary policy, 2) suitability of the birth control method, 3) safety, and 4) convenience. Under the voluntary policy they emphasize that people must be free to choose their own means of birth control based upon physical considerations and personal beliefs because compulsory measures are generally resisted. Secondly, the method of birth control must be suitable to the individuals involved. Local family planning agencies have been very effective in helping couples establish medical records and in providing them with practical advice. The third concern of the Yi Yang District officials is with assuring people of the safety of the birth control method chosen in order to eliminate unnecessary fears and anxieties about possible side effects. Finally, they stress that family planning assistance should be made available to people at any time. These family planning measures have proved to be very successful and bring about lasting results.     

Basic policies of the Philippine Population Program

This history of the Philippine Population Commission, which was created in 1969, is summarized. In 1970 President F.E. Marcos defined the government's task in this area as: 1) educating the people on the urgent need for population control; 2) disseminating knowledge on birth control techniques; and 3) providing facilities, especially in rural areas. Funding began in 1971. The 4 basic policies are noncoercion, integration, multiagency participation, and the partnership of the public and private sectors. The noncoercion policy means that all birth control techniques are offered and couples are free to use or reject whatever they wish. This has probably slowed the spread of family planning, but has also minimized opposition. Family planning has never been the domain of 1 agency but has been implemented through many agencies working together. Now it is being implemented through total community development plans, of which family planning is merely 1 component. This approach puts irrigation workers, agricultural development workers, and many others on the family planning team. private agencies have also had an important role to play in the development of the total program. For the past 5 years these have been mainly voluntary sociocivic and health associations whose interests are very close to or naturally related to family planning. Now the entry of business into the Population Program through the commercial contraceptive marketing program has enlarged the role of the private sector in the diffusion of family planning products and services. It is possible that the partnership between the public and private sectors may soon be based on segmentation of the target population with government agencies going deep into rural areas while private organizations concentrate on urban and adjacent rural areas.     

A grand gathering of model family planning workers in China

At the 1986 National Commendation Conference of Family Planning Vice Premier Wan Li told the 600 participants from all parts of China that the task of controlling population growth during the 6th Five-Year Plan had been accomplished and that the trend of population growth had been held in check. He emphasized the progress made in the field of family planning, noting that family planning is a basic state policy of China and that the government always regarded family planning as a priority concern. Wan Li made the point that the population control stipulated in the 6th Five-Year Plan is of great significance to the promotion of China's 4 modernizations -- socialist construction and the improvement in the living standards of the people -- as well as helpful to the stabilization of world population growth. Recommending a flexible approach to family planning, the Vice Premier urged those engaged in family planning to work to overcome compulsory and coercive approaches. He recommended scientific research devoted to birth control technology and asked family planning workers to give family planning a higher priority in order to assure fulfillment of the plan for population control as outlined in the 7th Five-Year Plan.     

China's first family planning publicity month

China conducted its 1st nationwide Family Planning Publicity Month in 1983, from New Year's Day to Spring Festival (February 13). The campaign emphasized the rural areas and focused on explaining why family planning is a state policy. The most noticeable achievements of this campaign were that every household became familiar with the fact that family planning is a basic state policy. The majority of the population take this policy seriously, realizing that strict control of population growth is both a good and imperative policy. More than 1,830,000 propaganda columns and photo exhibitions were displayed, 5,900,000 radio and television programs broadcast, 2,010,000 theatrical performances, movie and slide showings presented, and 97,000,000 copies of materials published for public dissemination. The activities were varied and interesting, vivid and lively, and purposeful and persuasive. 1 of the most effective methods of publicizing population control has been the presentation of comparative statistics. This aspect of the campaign was a specific and lively form of education in population theory and practice. The presentation of statistics that show the relationship among population, land use, grain produce, and income enabled the population to reason out why population growth needs to match economic and social development. Another important accomplishment of the publicity month was that a large number of couples of reproductive age became convinced of the need to use contraception. According to the incomplete statistics, 8,860,000 people had surgical operations for birth control. The universal promotion of ligations by either partner of a reproductive couple who already had given birth to a 2nd child was an important development of family planning technique promoted simultaneously with the promotion of IUDs. The increase in the number of people doing family planning work was another achievement of the publicity month. More than 15,240,000 publicity personnel and 760,000 medical personnel were trained. The enthusiasm of the Party and the people contributed to the success of the publicity month. The success of the publicity month is inseparable from the achievements and experience gained through China's longterm pursuit of family planning.     

The Associations Between Parental Socio-Economic Conditions,Childhood Intelligence,Adult Personality Traits,Social Status and Mental Well-Being

This study explored a longitudinal data set of 5,090 adults examining the associations between parental social status indicators (measured at birth), childhood intelligence (measured at age 11), personality traits, educational achievement and occupational prestige in relation to mental well-being (all measured at age 50). Correlational analysis showed that parental social status indicators and childhood intelligence were significantly associated with all of the big five personality traits (extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and intellect). Parental social status indicators, childhood intelligence, personality traits, education and occupation were all significant correlates of mental well-being. Structural equation modelling showed childhood intelligence was significantly associated with all the five personality traits, and family social status (indicated by parental social class, and paternal and maternal education) was significantly associated with traits intellect, extraversion, and agreeableness. All the five personality traits were significant predictors of mental well-being after taking into account the effects of family social status, childhood intelligence, own education achievement and current occupational prestige. Implications and limitations are discussed.     

The Sierra Club Immigration Debate: National Implications

U.S. population doubled during the past 50 years with nary a notice by anyone, why expect anything different during the next doubling? The relationship between U.S. population size and environment suddenly became newsworthy for six months in 1997–98, thanks to a bruising battle within the Sierra Club. Whether or not you are a Sierra Club member, please consider becoming involved in a rare opportunity to publicize connections between U.S. population growth and the state of the environment.     

中国未来人口发展的粮食安全与耕地保障

中国人口发展的粮食安全与耕地保证程度研究表明,随着人口增长和消费扩张,中国未来的耕地规模和人均耕地面积会进一步下降,人均粮食消费水平和粮食需求总量将进一步提高;2020年在人均粮食420~435kg的消费水平上,基于18亿亩耕地保证的粮食生产能力可以基本满足14.36亿人口的粮食需求;在人均450kg的消费水平上,中国未来耕地的粮食生产能力足以支持人口高锋时间的14.73亿人,但受耕地资源有限约束,人均粮食占有水平很难有进一步提高。从耕地、粮食与人口关系看,中国未来人口的粮食安全必须向食物安全转变,从耕地资源约束的粮食生产与人口增长驱动的食物消费两端着眼:一方面要重视耕地与粮食安全——藏粮于土,全面提高土地资源综合生产能力;一方面要关注食物与消费安全——倡导适度消费,建立动植物并重型食物结构;从生产与消费两方面来认识和解决中国中长期人口发展的食物安全与耕地保障问题。     

Can we believe recent data on birth expectations in the United States?

A share of the recent decline in birth expectations of young American wives may be due to the historically unique stimulus of intense public attention to population growth and family size. Data on whites from numerous national surveys provide at least four types of evidence favoring this thesis: a sudden massing of responses in the two-child category (the ZPG formula); a tolerance for the large family; an aversion to childlessness and the one-child family; and an inconsistency between respondents’ evaluations of the family cycle and childspacing, on the one hand, and their personal acceptance of the two-child norm, on the other. The lack of congruence in American reproductive attitudes at present suggests that some conservatism might be wise in accepting current birth expectations as valid indicators of the long-run intentions of youthful cohorts.