Population Case Study

Population Case Study

1. Family Planning

   • 3 5-year plans
     • [1] need for smaller families
     • [2] stop at 2
     • [3] maintain at 2.1
   • encouraged use of contraceptives
   • legalised abortion
   • discourage couples from having >2 children
   • no paid maternity leave for 3rd or more child
   • no priority for government flats
   • no income tax relief
   • delivery charged increase with every child

2. Declining Birth Rate

   • Consequences
     • Ageing Population
       • fewer babies, fewer young people
       • more older people
       • face ageing pop. in future
       • younger pop. burdened financially and more resources needed
       • needed to take care of senior citizens
       • strain on country's $ resources
       • reducing competitiveness
       • important to promote pop. growth
     • Unattractive to Multinational Companies
       • -small population
       • not enough talented people
       • sustain economic development
       • unattractive to foreign investors & MNCs
       • difficult and expensive to recruit locals
       • small consumer market
       • important to promote pop. growth
       • to sustain economic development
     • Defence
       • fewer young men
       • recruit for National Service (NS)
       • weaken Singapore's defence force
       • vulnerable to external threat
       • reduce out defence capabilities
       • important to promote population growth

3. Solutions

   • The Graduate Mother's Scheme
     • 1984
     • encourage marriage and children among graduates
     • education level have direct impact
     • unpopular as less educated people felt neglected
     • withdrawn after a year
   • Three or more if you can afford it
     • relieve financial burden of having children
       • allowing use of Medisave pay for delivery charges of first 3 children
     • not very successful
   • Pro-Family Measures
     • Equalised Medical Benefits