Consider the following statements regarding the Demographic Transition...
- Statements 2 is incorrect: Population explosion implies the death rate is decreasing while the birth rate remains constant at a high level.
Supplementary notes:
Demographic Transition Theory
- Theory of Demographic Transition is a theory that throws light on changes in birth rate and death rate and consequently on the growth rate of population. “Demographic transition refers to a population cycle that begins with a fall in the death rate, continues with a phase of rapid population growth and concludes with a decline in the birth rate”-E.G. Dolan.
- According to this theory, economic development has the effect of bringing about a reduction in the death rate. There are four stages of demographic transition according to Max.
First Stage
- This stage is called a high population growth potential stage. It is characterized by high and fluctuating birth and death rates which will almost neutralize each other.
- People mostly live in rural areas and their main occupation is agriculture which is in the stage of backwardness.
- The tertiary sector consisting of transport, commercial banking, and insurance is underdeveloped.
- All these factors are responsible for the low income and poverty of the masses.
- Social beliefs and customs play an important role in keeping the birth rate high.
- The death rate is also high because of primitive sanitation and the absence of medical facilities. People live in dirty and unhealthy surroundings.
Second Stage
- It is called the stage of Population Explosion. In this stage, the death rate is decreasing while the birth rate remains constant at a high level.
- Agricultural and industrial productivity increases, means of transport and communication develops. There is great mobility of labor.
- Education expands. Income also increases. People get more and better quality of food products. Medical and health facilities are expanded.
- During this stage economic development is speeded up due to individual and government efforts. Increased use of better technology, mechanization, and urbanization takes place. But there is no substantial change in the men, the attitude of the people and hence birth rate stays high i.e., economic development has not yet started affecting the birth rate.
Third Stage
- It is also characterized as a population stage because the population continues to grow at a fast rate. In this stage, the birth rate as compared to the death rate declines more rapidly.
- As a result, the population grows at a diminishing rate. This stage witnesses a fall in the birth rate while the death rate stays constant because it has already declined to the lowest minimum.
- Birth rate declines due to the impact of economic development changed social attitudes and increased facilities for family planning.
- The population continues to grow fast because the death rate stops falling whereas the birth rate though declining but remains higher than the death rate.
Fourth Stage
- It is called the stage of a stationary population.
- Birth rate and death rate are both at a low level and they are again near balance.
- The birth rate is approximately equal to the death rate and there is little growth in population. It becomes more or less stationary at a low level.
- The details about the population of British India were first collected through a census in 1881. Though suffering from certain limitations, it revealed the unevenness in India’s population growth. Subsequently, every ten years such census operations were carried out. Before 1921, India was in the first stage of demographic transition. The second stage of transition began after 1921.
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Consider the following statements regarding the Demographic Transition...
Demographic Transition Theory
Statement 1: It is a theory that throws light on changes in birth rate and death rate and consequently on the growth rate of the population.
The first statement is correct. The Demographic Transition Theory is a theory that explains the changes in birth rate, death rate, and population growth over time. It provides a framework for understanding the patterns and processes of population change in different stages of development.
The theory suggests that societies go through distinct stages of demographic transition as they develop economically and socially. In the initial stage, both birth rate and death rate are high, resulting in slow population growth. As societies progress, improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and living conditions lead to a decline in the death rate. However, the birth rate remains high, leading to rapid population growth.
In the next stage, the birth rate starts to decline as societies undergo social and economic changes. This decline in birth rate can be attributed to factors such as urbanization, increased access to education, and better economic opportunities for women. The decline in birth rate eventually leads to a stabilization of the population growth rate.
Finally, in the advanced stage of demographic transition, both birth rate and death rate reach low levels, resulting in a low and stable population growth rate. This stage is characterized by an aging population and a decline in the proportion of young people.
Statement 2: Population explosion implies that the death rate is decreasing while birth rate is increasing.
The second statement is incorrect. Population explosion refers to a rapid and dramatic increase in population size. It occurs when the birth rate exceeds the death rate by a significant margin, resulting in a high population growth rate. This can happen when the birth rate remains high while the death rate declines or remains constant.
In other words, population explosion is not solely dependent on an increasing birth rate. It can also occur if the birth rate remains high while the death rate decreases due to improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation. Therefore, the statement that population explosion implies a decreasing death rate and increasing birth rate is not accurate.
In conclusion, the correct statement is:
a) 1 only - The Demographic Transition Theory explains the changes in birth rate, death rate, and population growth, while population explosion can occur even if the birth rate remains high while the death rate declines or remains constant.
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