POPULATIONThursday, 21 July, 20119:16 AM

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Chapter 2.3: Case Study – Singapore’s Population Policy

Part 1: Reasons to Promote Population Growth from the 1980s.

Factor Reason Importance / Link

Declining Birth Rate

By 1980, the fertility rate hit 1.82 children per woman due to the success of the government’s family planning measures.

At the same time, women became more educated and pursued their careers.

Couples preferred to pursue their careers instead, marrying later and choosing to either give birth to one child or not have any children.

As a result, fewer children were born and Singapore’s birth rate declined.

At the same time, more jobs were created in the industries and a larger workforce was needed to sustain Singapore’s development.

Manpower was also needed for national defence.

With Singapore’s declining birth rate, Singapore’s development and defence needs would not be met, making it vulnerable to external challenges.

It was therefore important for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s onwards.

Unattractive to Multinational Companies

With a small population, Singapore would not be able to produce enough talented people to sustain its economic development, making it unattractive to foreign investors and Multinational Corporations (MNCs).

With a smaller population, Singapore may not be able to produce enough skilled people to sustain the economy.

It would be difficult and expensivefor MNCs to recruit local Singaporeans as compared to other countries due to the lack of power, Singapore would not be able to sustain its economic development.

Furthermore, it’s small population size makes Singapore a small consumer market. It was therefore important for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s onwards.

Ageing Population

Furthermore, with fewer babies being born, there would be fewer young people and a larger proportion of older people in the population, causing Singapore to face an ageing population in the future.

The smaller younger population would be burdened financially with more taxes and more resources would be spent on senior citizens, putting a strain on the country’s economic resources and reducing Singapore’s competitiveness.

It was therefore important for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s onwards.

Defence With a declining birth rate, there would be fewer young men to recruit for National Service.

This would weaken Singapore’s defence force and make Singapore vulnerable to external threats. It was therefore important for the government to promote population growth from the 1980s onwards.

Singapore anti-natalist policiesMonday, 13 June, 201111:37 AM

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Part 2: Ways to Promote Population Growth after the 1980s

Factor Reason Analysis of Measure

The Graduate Mother’s Scheme

The Graduate Mothers Scheme was introduced in 1984 to encourage marriage and having children among graduates as it was felt that the education level of the parents would have a direct impact on the performance of their children in schools.

Was not successful as less educated people felt discriminated against the policy. Furthermore, the policy was scrapped after one year.

Three or More if you can afford it

Couples were encouraged to have three children or more if they could afford it.

To help relieve the financial burden of having children, the government introduced measures such as allowing the use of Medisave to pay for the delivery charges of the first three children.

Not very successful as the number of children born per woman continued to decrease.

Many newly married couples continued to have only one or two children and a sizeable number of Singaporeans either married late and had no children or chose to remain single.

Other pro-family measures

Other pro-family measures such as equalised medical benefits were introduced where mothers could also claim medical benefits for their children.

A 5-day work week for the Civil Service was also implemented to allow for better work-life balance.

An income tax relief of $3,000 (Grandparent Caregiver Relief) was given if a grandparent is helping the couple take care of their child.

Maternity leave was also extended from eight weeks to twelve weeks.

Attracting foreign talent

In order to enhance its competitiveness while awaiting for pro-family measures to show positive results, the government began to attract foreign talent.

In 1989, the immigration policy was relaxed to attract foreign talent with skills that Singapore needed.

The government also hoped that these foreigners would develop an attachmentto Singapore and take up permanent residence or citizenship.

Foreign talent would not only boost the quality of manpower in Singapore, but it would also create more jobs and increase productivity.

More successful as foreigners and their families add on to the population numbers of Singapore.

Part 3: Impact of an Ageing Population

Economic Impact

With an ageing population, there will be fewer young people in the population to maintain the workforce. Singapore’s workforce will thus become increasingly older and in time to come many will retire. This will result in a less competitive workforce which may not be attractive to investors keen to invest in Singapore. The economy will also be affected in terms of active

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investors keen to invest in Singapore. The economy will also be affected in terms of active economic contribution as the retirees are no longer contributing to income tax and CPF. There will be a resulting strain on the young to maintain the ageing population.

Social Impact

The number of older people will be proportionately larger. This means that the country will have to allocate more budget to social services to maintain the ageing population who will need more healthcare facilities. More resources like day care centres, old folks home, community hospitals and even housing facilities like studio apartments and lifts on every level have to be built to cater to the needs of the elderly. This will certainly increase the burden of the government who will need to reserve a large proportion of the country’s budget to maintain the ageing population.

Furthermore, with less young people, there will be smaller security forces and Singapore’s defence force will be weakened, making it vulnerable.

Part 4: Meeting the challenges of an Ageing Population

Factor Description / Explanation Analysis of Measure

Senior Citizens as Assets to Society

To ensure that senior citizens remain contributing members to society, opportunities are given to them to add value to various organisations, and

help boost family life by contributing their valuable skills, knowledge, talent and work experience.

Important because it creates a positive image of senior citizens so as to encourage Singaporeans to adopt a more positive attitude towards ageing and the elderly.

Many Helping Hands Approach: Individual

The individual is encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a balanced diet and exercising regularly.

He should also go for regular medical checkups to ensure that any illnesses can be diagnosed early for treatment.

All Singaporeans are also encouraged to plan early and be financially prepared for life in their old age by attending talks and reading relevant materials to ensure they can be self-sufficient and independent in their old age.

Important because when the individuals respond to the government’s campaign of living a healthy lifestyle, they can help to save the government a lot of money which would otherwise have to be spent on social services to take care of the ageing population.

Many Helping Hands Approach: Family support

Family support also plays a part because strong and stable families bring about social stability and harmony. The family is also the main source of emotional, social and financial support for the elderly individual.

The government has introduced measures like ‘Senior Citizens’ Week’where the elderly are encouraged to stay active in the family and community. It also promotes a positive attitude towards ageing and the aged as it reminds everyone of their roles in creating an environment that is socially conducive.

Grandparents’ Day is also celebrated to bring families together to show their appreciation for the elderly.

Important because the family can provide individuals with emotional, social and financial support.

Many Helping Hands Approach:

The community is also important in giving them social and emotional support and providing healthcare and social services.

Important because the community `supplements the family support by offering individuals who have no families

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Approach: Community Help

services.

The government provides subsidies to voluntary welfare organisations that run community-based services for senior citizens.

Some community organisations also offer free health checks and organise recreational activities for senior citizens to help them remain physically, mentally and socially active.

individuals who have no families emotional and social support.

Many Helping Hands Approach: Government Support

To encourage the young to take care of the aged, taxpayers can claim an income tax deduction for taking care of elderly parents and grandparents. First-time buyers of governments can get a housing grant if they buy a flat in the area where their parents live.

The government also ensures the individuals have some money for their old age by making each contribute to compulsory savings in their CPFaccounts when they start working. This will reduce the burden of the government in its budget to care for the aged so that more can be spent on other areas like defence and education.

The government contributes the necessary financial support needed to help individuals, families and the community meet the challenges of an ageing population.

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Provide more training○

Quality of workers○

Build more nursing homes to prevent overcrowding○

Make sure workers get emotional support○

Improve the quality of old folks homes•

Promote filial piety•

Learn conversational dialets○

Train domestic workers in basic nursing skills•

Promote interaction between old folks•Build more elderly parks•Organise more activities for the elderly in CCs•

Better communication○

Foreign doctors should learn conversational dialetcts•

Income tax deduction for working class to take care of grandparents & parents•Lower CPF minimum quota ($$$ and age)•First-time buyers of HBD flats get a housing grant if they buy in the same area as their parents•Make sure areas frequented by elderly are free from any obstacles•Children can use medisave accounts to pay for their parents health care•Subsidies for those who cannot afford good health care•Inrease the number of medical services that medisave can be used for•Lower rent prices for low income elderly•Create job opportunities for them•Elderly marathons? (short distance jogs)•Less stressful jobs for elderly--> help them feel a sense of belonging with the world•

Solutions:

Ageing PopulationMonday, 27 June, 20118:00 AM

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-->reduces years for childbearingTalk about WHY people marry later (elaborate more)

People become more individualistic, materialistic and pursuing creature comfortLifelong commitment for raising the child; unwilling to sacrifice freedom to raise the babyCouples have fewer children so that women can cope betterCost of raising a child is estimated to be around $300,000Financial rebates are NOT ENOUGH to cover the high cost of raising a childAlthough paid maternity leave has been increased to 4 months, the pay is insuffiient to compensate the time and energy of raising the childStay-at-home-mothers are given less incentives by the government (nonworking mothers get only $150 subsidy for fulday child care compared to working mothers ie 300)Failure of government to woo this group of stay-at-home mothers could have reduced the birth rate

Conclusion: antinatilaist policy was effective but pronatalist was notMacroconcept: respective population policies attempts to change the birth rate in order to affect positive changes in the economic and social condition of countryReal life complexity: antinatalist policy was effective but social situation are too entrenched to be changed by financial benefits in the case of the pronatalist policy

Intro/Scope/Overview/Boundaries/Paraphrasing/Understanding question/Stand

POINTS TO NOTE:-Do not just describe/list measuresMake the CONNECTION between how measures overcom the conditions of the Singaporeans to result in low BR, which is the SUCCESS of the antinatalist policy-Don’t be irrelavant -.--Be accurate- quote the correct data!!

Tuesday, 5 July, 201112:08 PM

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number of births divided by total population multiplied by 1000 (in a year)o

Birth rate (BR): number of births per 1000 people per year

Number of deaths divided by total population multiplied by 1000 (in a year)o

Death rate (DR): number of deaths per 1000 people per year

Infant mortality rate (IMR):

Natural increase/decrease

Dependency ratio:

Life expectancy: average number of years a person lives in a certain country

Net migration:

Total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would bear at the current birth rate

Dependent population:

2.00 childreno

0.05- 5% more boys than girls borno

0.01- to compensate for not all women living to age 49o

2.00+0.05+0.01: THE REPLACEMENT LEVELo

Not the same throughout the world because of problems such as poverty etco

2.00 children

0.05- 5% more boys than girls

0.43- to compensate for not all women living to age 49 (high mortality rate)

2.00+0.05+0.43: THE REPLACEMENT LEVEL (2.48)

EG: SOUTH AFRICAo

Replacement level fertility: 2.1 children per couple (actually 2.06, but who wants to go around saying 2.06?!)

Population termsMonday, 11 July, 20118:04 AM

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High stationary- High and variable birth rate and death rateEarly expanding- Declining death rate and continuing high birth rateLate expanding- Declining birth rate and low death rateLow stationary: Low and variable birth rate and death rateLow declining- Low birth rate and death rate

High death rates caused by lak of knowledge of disease prevention and cure; poor ling environment; lack of clean dinking water; inefficient sewage disposal; poor food hygiene; occasional food shortages

○

Birth rate and death rates are high and variable (BR/DR typically 30%-40%)•

Population growth fluctuates•Growth rate less than 0.04%- long doubling times of ~5000 years•No countries now @ this state•

HIGH STATIONARY:

Birth rate remains high but death rate decreases rapidly (BR 30-40%; DR 20%)•Falling death rates can be attributed to improvements in food supply brought about by higher yields; significant improvements in public health; not so much medical breakthroughs

•

Population growth is rapid•Age structure of pyramid becomes increasingly youthful•Countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan & Libya•

EARLY EXPANDING:

Demographic Transition ModelMonday, 11 July, 20118:41 PM

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Birth rate drops and death rate reamins low (BR 20-25%; DR 10-15%)•Decline in BR attributed to low IMR, change in traditional values placed upon fertility, increasing female literacy and employment

•

Fertitlity rate may fall below replacement levels but population continues to grow on account of population momentum

•

Population growth continues but slows down•China, Cuba & Argentina are @ this stage•

LATE EXPANDING:

Birth rate & death rate are low and variable (BR/DR ~ 10-15%)•Population age structure has become•Population growth fluctuates•Most developed countries @ this stage•

LOW AND VARIABLE:

Birth rate lower than death rate (BR 8-10%; DR 19-12%)•Death rate increases due to ageing population•Population declines•Sweden & Japan are @ this stage•

LOW AND DECLINING:

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To have a male heir to carry on family name○

Old age security○

Traditional or religious beliefs and customs (in less urbanized and industrialized environment):•

Absence of old age security: people are not looked after through pensions or health services and children are viewed as security when parents reach old age

•

Adherence to the religious doctrine: Muslim and Roman Catholic religions oppose artificial birth control

•

Agrarian-based economy where children are regarded as assets- they help out on the farm; earn money for family; take care of parents

•

High infant mortality rate as medical/health services are poor To ensure the children will survive to adulthood, parents have more children to replace other children who have died

•

Absence of family planning programmes: no investment in sex ed and lack of information about birth control/family planning

•

Political: government offers inducements and concesions to encourage large families (japan 1930s, malaysia 1990s)

•

Ignorance or lack of education on family planning and knowledge of birth control○

Low social awareness○

Little opportunity for employment○

Limited choice of action○

Low literacy rate•

Availability of spaceto carry a large family○

Low expense as cost of living is low○

Rural environment:•

Disempowerment of illiterate women who have neither high aspirations not career-mided. They are family bound, lives revolve around family

•

Early marriages; average age of marriage is 15. longer reproductive span.•Increase in land productivity and food production•

HIGH BIRTH RATE:

High birth rateMonday, 11 July, 20119:09 PM

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Clean water○

Electricity○

Minimize the transmission of water-borne diseases and occurrence of epidemics

Sanitation○

Modern and readily available services•

Increase in land productivity & food production•Good hygiene and sanitation•

Better vaccinations/health care○

Advanced medical and health services•

Knowledge about healthy living•

Contagious diseases under control○

Lower population densities; improvement in living conditions•

Increasing wealth/ SOL•Political stability; internal security; Low accident rates•

LOW DEATH RATE:

Low Death RateMonday, 11 July, 20119:19 PM

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Family planing widely practised•Birth control measures- abortion, sterilisation, use of contraceptives•Government gives incentives to keep BR low•Lower infant mortality rate- less pressure to have children•Increased industrialisation/mechanisation- fewer labourers needed•Further economic development, industrialisaion, urbanisation•Children cannot work till much older•Desire for material possession- easier to achieve & maintain higher standard of living with a small family

•

Large numbers of women unwilling to give up careers○

Women become more educated & liberated- role not only of bearing children•

LOW BIRTH RATE:

Diseases and plague•Famine, uncertain food supplies, poor diet•Poor hygiene, no clean water, no sewage disposal•Little medical science, few doctors; hospitals; drugs•

HIGH BIRTH RATE:

LBR/HDRMonday, 11 July, 20119:22 PM

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Growing youthful population•Governments in such developing countries experience problems of providing sufficient food, housing, health care, education and other services for the people

•

Many of these countries do not have the resources needed to bring about an improvement in the standard of living

•

Problems with an expanding/progressive pyramid with a wide base & narrow top:

Many more people are living to old age•Places pressure on the governments to provide adequate healthcare and housing for the elderly•Declining youthful population leads to a shrinking workforce- places increasnig buden on the working population

•

Problems with a regressive pyramid with a wide top and narrowing base:

Population pyramidsMonday, 11 July, 20119:45 PM

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Baby boom in the 1950s and 1960s resulted in a population of 2 million in 1970. If left unchecked, the population would reach 5 million by the year 2000.

•

This would mean a serious shortage of schools, houses and jobs•The rapid population growth was also due to an influx of immigrants (esp Chinese and Indian)•

WHY THE NEED FOR FAMILY PLANNING IN THE 1970s:

THUS, the introduction of the "Stop at Two" policy and its target was to attain zero population growth by 2030.

Provide family planning advice and services to married ladies○

Stress the importance of family planning to newlyweds○

Promote the acceptance of the two-child family norm through the use of the media○

Abortion and sterilization were legalised in 1970 an made easily available○

Incentives for small families such as priority in the choice of primary schools for children with sterilized parents

○

Disincentives for having large families such as higher hospital charges and the withdrawal of income tax relief for fourth and subsequent kids

○

The Singapore Family and Population Board was established in 2966 to:•MEASURES TAKEN:

Low birth rate. Total fertility rate has fallen below 2.1 since 1975. It dropped to 1.44 in 1986.•

The government realised that Singapore would soon become that of an ageing population, meaning an increasing burden on state for welfare and support

○

Tax base shrinks but expenditure on dependent group increases○

Labour shortage--> increasing costs, less competitiveness in terms of economy○

Less men to defend country○

Under-utilization of facilities & lower econ growth○

This was a concern because:•

RESULTS/CONSEQUENCES:

Singapore pro-natalist policyTuesday, 12 July, 20117:31 PM

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PLATE TECTONICSThursday, 21 July, 20119:17 AM

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Continents & sea•Continental crust: 15-75km thick•Oceanic crust: 5-10km•Composition: rocks&soil•

LAYER ONE: Crust

500-900 degrees Celsius•

400km thick○

Composition: Iron & magnesium silicates

○

Upper mantle:•

2300km thick○

More dense due to pressure○

Lower mantle:•

LAYER TWO: Mantle

2300 km thick•Liquid•Composition: iron with nickel and sulphur•Temperature: 4000-5000 degrees Celsius •

LAYER THREE: Outer core

1200 km thick•Solid•Composition: Iron, Nikel, Sulphur•Temperature: 6650 degrees Celsius •

LAYER FOUR: Inner core

Structure of EarthThursday, 21 July, 20118:54 AM

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Contains uranium and plutonium•These decay, producing energy•Radioactivity!•Eventually- DEAD PLANET ;___;•

HEAT PRODUCED BY GENERATION OF ENERGY IN INNER CORE

Earth's CoreThursday, 21 July, 20119:24 AM

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Describe type of plates, movement, boundary1.Characteristics of the plates; how this affects/impacts movement2.Process 3.

CONTINENTAL/OCEANIC

When a continental an oceanic plate converge, the oceanic plate is denser than the continental plate. Thus, it is subducted under the continental plate. As a result of this subduction, an oceanic trench is created at the subduction zone. The subducted oceanic plate melts, creating magma. The magma rises and enters through fractures in the continental crust. This results in lava erupting on the surface of the continental crust. The lava that has erupted cools and solidifies. After repeated eruptions, a volcano is formed. The continental crust near the sea gets compressed, folded and uplifted to form a fold mountain.

OCEANIC/OCEANIC

Convergent platesThursday, 4 August, 20118:59 AM

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CONTINENTAL/CONTINENTALOCEANIC/OCEANIC: mid-atlantic ridge

Divergent platesThursday, 18 August, 20119:01 AM

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Magma underneath the earth's crust heats up rock○

Steam escapes through fissures○

No intrusion of lava into the spring.○

Temperatures of hot springs rise over a few days/weeks (not rapidly)•

Excessive CO2 kills trees and wildlife•Seismometer--> measure earthquakes•Measure gases•Tiltmeter--> measure angle of slope of volcano•The volcano can erupt any time from a week to months of the first signs•Water supply can be contaminated by sulfur dioxide (over days/weeks)•

Volcanic eruptionsMonday, 22 August, 20118:32 AM

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A rift or vent in the Earth's crust through which molten material erupts and solidifies on the surface as lava or through which the molten rocks, charged with gases and vapours, are ejected with explosive forece and fall back as volcanic ash and volcanic dust.

Thursday, 8 September, 20115:29 PM

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Low in silica-

Non-sticky-

Less viscous-

Temperature usually higher-

Gas and steam escape easily-

Quiet eruptions-

Basic lava:High in silica-

Sticky, more viscous, less fluid-

Temperature usually lower-

Thick sticky lava does not allow gas and steam to escape easly-

Explosive eruptions-

Acidic lava:

Explosive/QuietTuesday, 13 September, 20118:41 AM

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